The way of the Badger:: A Hufflepuff adventure
by peanuts107
Summary: A much needed fan fiction set around the lives of the sixth year Hufflepuff students, Susan Bones, Hannah Abbot, Ernie Macmillan, Justin FinchFletchley and Zacharias Smith. Please R
1. Introductions

**Disclaimer: -** Harry Potter and all related characters, items, and magical spells belong totally and fully to the fantastic JKRowling. This fic is purely made for my personal pleasure and is not meant to offend, ridicule or reduce the wonderful works of Ms Rowling whatsoever.

Ok with that out of the way enjoy!

* * *

**The way of the badger**

**Chapter 1: -** Introductions

Ernie was literally thrown off the Hogwarts express and onto the platform of Hogsmead station by the mull of students that pushed against him. He still hadn't got the hang of this perfect lark even though it was his second year doing it, unlike his fellow Hufflepuff female counterpart Hannah Abbot who was enjoying her prefect duties immensely. Hannah had wanted to be a prefect since their first year and always claimed the powers that came with the job was just an added bonus! But Ernie suspected differently. He and Hannah where complete opposites, she was shy and reserved, apart from when she was performing her prefect duties and Ernie had always been outspoken and a little flamboyant, again apart from when he was acting as a prefect.

"A great start to the year this is!" Ernie mumbled to himself as he rubbed his now cut palms as he sat sprawled on the station's cold damp surface, as the other students made their way to the carriages and Hagrid led the first years towards the boats.

"Need some help you wuss?" Ernie heard a voice call across the dimly lit platform, Ernie smiled, the voice belonged to Zacharias Smith, another sixth year Hufflepuff and one of Ernie's room mates, Zach offered Ernie his hand and pulled his friend to his feet, Ernie winced as his palms began to sting.

"Thanks" Ernie said as he surveyed the damage to his hands "and enough of the wuss will you! Granger already thinks I'm not prefect material"

"I shouldn't worry too much about her" Justin Finch-Fletchley said as he and Susan Bones headed over to Ernie and Zach, "She can't take your badge away from you and she'll never kick up a fuss, not with the red moron as her counterpart" the four Hufflepuff's laughed at their friends nickname for Ron Weasley.

Hufflepuff students where always thought of as being kind and caring and in most cases they where, but even a badger couldn't help but change especially after certain events that had happened to all the sixth formers over their years at Hogwarts, these events had made five loveable badgers further from the canon characteristics of their house as possible.

"Granger's always got a bee in her bonnet about something" Susan said sagely "Remember last year when she started that silly little society....What was it called......SAPS?"

"SPEW" Justin corrected her,

"SAPS where the people who joined" Zach said laughing at his own joke

"Any way" Susan said glaring at her friend "the point is she isn't happy unless she's the centre of attention and controlling things"

"Like most females then!" Zach said happily and received a kick in the shins for his efforts. The four friends waited as the platform cleared and Hannah finally joined them,

"Sorry" she apologised breathlessly "Neville lost his toad again"

"That bloody thing" Zach said scathingly as the five friends headed towards the carriages "I'm going to use that for one of my potions project one day" The girls both shot Zach horrified looks as they rounded the stations gates to find one solitary thestral driven carriage waiting for them.

"I still can't see them" Justin grumbled as they headed towards the carriage,

"Do you really want to?" Ernie asked turning slightly pale at the thought of the only way a person could see a thestral,

"Yeah! Wouldn't you?" Justin said enthusiastically as he climbed into the carriage behind Zach and the girls,

"Not really, no" Ernie mumbled as he climbed in behind his friend, but then again Ernie didn't share his Muggle born friends fascination with magical animals.

As soon as the door was closed the carriage pulled away and the five friends where finally heading back to Hogwarts for their sixth year at the school.

"Your late" Professor McGonagall called as she saw the sixth year badgers climbing out of their carriage in front of the castle's huge oak doors

"We were waiting for Hannah, Neville's T-" Ernie began but McGonagall didn't want to know,

"Five points each from Hufflepuff for your tardiness. And consider yourself let off lightly. Prefects are supposed to set an example for their fellow students what sort of example do you think being late shows the younger children, Mr Macmillan?" McGonagall said all this as she gazed across the schools grounds towards the lake where several small lights could be seen drifting across its moonlit surface,

"Hurry up!" the deputy headmistress snapped as the five friends shot passed her and made their way into the great hall where the rest of the school was now assembled at their respective tables.

"She's as bad as Snape" Hannah hissed as the sixth years found their seats at the Hufflepuff table,

"You just don't like her because you failed your transfiguration OWL" Susan said reminding her friend of her practical exam where she had accidentally changed her test subject into a flock of flamingos.

Justin tried unsuccessfully to hide his very broad grin; the image of their then self appointed headmistress screaming herself literally purple as the birds fouled the great hall repetitively was an image that Justin would remember forever.

Hannah however hated the reminder that she had cracked under the pressure of taking her exams last year,

"Thanking you so very kindly for the flash back Suzie" Hannah hissed as Susan laughed and hugged her best friend,

"I'm sorry Han"

"Yeah we all are. We'll miss you in Transfiguration this year" Zach said sounding uncharacteristically concerned "What else are we going to laugh at without you blowing your subjects up!" Zach laughed out loud.

"Thanks" Hannah said as both girls gave Zach a warning look.

Zacharias Smith was the only member of the sixth year badgers that was on the house Quidditch team, he played in the position of a chaser and because of this he thought of himself as Merlin's gift to women, even though his four friends knew otherwise.

"You do have to admit that despite the occasional combustions, you where still pretty lame at transfiguration" Justin said idly as he ran his hands through his hair.

Where Zach thought of himself as a ladies man, Justin was. Justin Finch-Fletchley was for his age very good looking; he had short curly brown hair and a very definitive jaw line, and was the sole heir to a vast fortune, albeit a Muggle fortune. Justin however was more interested in his studies then girls and had in fact been one of the main contributors to Hannah having to be medicated during the build up to their exams the previous year. Justin had been in the habit of comparing how many hours he studied each day to others around him and he quickly developed the knack of being able to make those who studied less then himself feel stupid in comparison, however unintentional this had been.

"Again thanks, guys" Susan said in reply to Justin's comments as she rubbed Hannah's arm reassuringly, "You're about as useful as Ernie in a brothel!"

"Keep it down!" Ernie hissed, this was still a tender subject between the five friends, at the end of the summer term Ernie had outed himself, and although he had been relatively pleased by his four friends reactions he wasn't willing to let the entire school know his secret just yet, and no way in Muggle hell was he willing to let his pure blood family found out.

"So how's your latest obsession then Suzie?" Justin asked changing the subject,

"He's looking gorgeous as always!" Susan said smiling to herself as she glanced up at the teachers table as Justin, Ernie and Zach all made gagging noises. Susan's 'Latest obsession' had been another revelation from the end of last term; this however was more shocking then the fact that one of their room mates was guy. Susan had revealed that she in fact fancied their Potions master, Professor Severus Snape, the most hated teacher in the entire school was the man that Susan Bones had set her heart on. Zach's explanation of this was that even though Susan was by far the prettiest badger in the house, she was if truth be told a little tapped in the head.

The boys left Susan drooling over the head of Slytherin house as they discussed more manly things such as the brightness of the table cloth and how hideous Gryffindors golden boy Harry Potter looked this year. Slating Harry was one of Zach's favourite activities and he never grew bored of it even though his friends did.

Zach had always claimed that the rivalry that he imagined between himself and Harry Potter was due to the fact that they both had similar personalities; Hannah however believed it was because Zach was a competitive git, and that he was jealous of the fame and notoriety that Harry had. That and the fact that lots of girls fancied Harry.

The entire four house tables suddenly fell silent as Gryffindor's head of house, Professor McGonagall entered the hall and announced that the new first years where about to arrive. This was the sixth years favourite part of the feast, as they loved to scrutinise the new first years and try to figure out which house each kid would be sorted into before the sorting hat declared it.

"That one definitely looks like Slytherin material" Ernie said wisely as he indicated the thin boy at the head of the first years "His eyes are too close together"

"That one will end up with us" Susan said sounding slightly disgusted as she blatantly pointed to a sickly looking girl with mousy blond hair which was set in pigtails

"Merlin I hope not!" Justin said in real shock "She's waving to the Creevey brothers!" any other comments that the friends may have said where cut off by the start of the sorting hats song,

.

> _ I'm the sorting hat you see_
> 
> _ I'll let you know where you should be_
> 
> _ Four houses all with different traits_
> 
> _ In each house you'll find your mates_
> 
> _ My decisions final so don't try to disagree_

.

> _ The Founders four, they gave to me _
> 
> _ An understanding of what should be_
> 
> _ My words put into song_
> 
> _ I've never been wrong_
> 
> _ The different traits now we shall see,_

.

> _ Gryffindor was strong and brave_
> 
> _ I'll list the traits that he did crave,_
> 
> _ He valued boldness, daring and bravery, _
> 
> _ This leads them protesting house elf slavery,_
> 
> _ The traits of this house leads to many who are fun and like to misbehave _

.

"He missed out the fact that their Dumbledore's golden house and can get away with anything!" Zacharias sneered

"Shusssh" Hannah whispered

.

> _Ravenclaw was a clever bird_
> 
> _She valued those wise in word_
> 
> _Wit and learning is her kin _
> 
> _Cleverness and wisdom from within_
> 
> _These are the traits Ravenclaw preferred,_

.

"Oh that's a disappointment" Zacharias said "He could have easily have worked nerd into that"

"Zach I'm warning you!"

.

> _Slytherin was an ambitious man_
> 
> _He prided himself on his clan_
> 
> _Cunningness, shrewdness and power_
> 
> _These are the traits this house empowers_
> 
> _Salazar started all this which has now began _

.

"Bit of an understatement there!" Justin whispered to Zacharias

"Will you two shut up we're next" the friends fell silent,

.

> _Hufflepuff was as sweet and gentle as clover _
> 
> _Hard-working to the end she was a drover _
> 
> _Traits of these students are kindness, hard-working, loyal, and being just_
> 
> _This is the house you can all depend on and trust _
> 
> _Hufflepuff house is the one which you'll always win over_

_._

The friends jaws all dropped,

"Did he just say what I thought he did" Zacharias asked not believing his own ears

"Win over" repeated Susan bitterly

"Translation" Ernie said balling his fists "Means he thinks we're all push overs!"

"Is that really what people see us as" Hannah asked indignantly

"Shusssh" Professor sprout hissed from the teachers table urging her house to settle down But even though the Hufflepuff students did fall quiet, the sixth form couldn't quite rid themselves of the feeling of indignation that they mutually felt inside. The sorting hat continued with his song regardless of the feelings that he had stirred up in the Hufflepuffs

.

> _Heed my words and listen to my plea_
> 
> _Four can not divide into three_
> 
> _Horrors are bound and darkness will come_
> 
> _Try hard and don't let yourselves succumb _
> 
> _And soon you'll find that you too will agree_

_._

> _Friends are one thing you can not buy_
> 
> _No matter how hard some might try_
> 
> _The knowledge you gain_
> 
> _Will be your strength not your bane_
> 
> _Join as one or all may be lost and die_

_._

The hall fell silent until the students realised the song was over and they all burst into a loud applause, all that was apart from five badgers.


	2. The aftermath

**Chapter 2: -** The aftermath

The rest of the sorting and the feast was a blur to the five friends, usually their game of trying to sort the new first years before the sorting hat would have resulted in their head of house, Professor Sprout, having to have told the friends to have been quiet. Even when the sickly girl with the mousy blond pigtails who McGonagall had called out as being Creevey, Mary was sorted into Hufflepuff and the Creevey brothers looked appalled at the idea of having a badger as a sister, even then the friends didn't say anything, although the same thought ran through all their heads

'_Even the Creevey brothers think our house is a joke!_'

The friends passed the feast by eating slowly and poking at their food, even the chocolate gateau's didn't look very appealing this year, soon it came time for the notices and then the school song which the sixth form mumbled half heartedly before the four houses where dismissed.

The five friends trudged out of the great hall feeling absolutely miserable, headed into the passage under the marble stairs and down the corridor that lead to the kitchens, the smell of cooking still lingered in the air, ordinarily Zach would have commented on how hungry he was but now even the hollow void that was Zacharias Smith's stomach didn't even seem to feel hungry.

The friends headed pass the large fruit bowl painting that was the doorway to the kitchens and into the darkness beyond until they came to a large portrait of their houses founder holding her beloved pet badger cub.

The friends stared at their beloved founding mother, the women that the sorting hat had described as a drover as though being a kind and gentle leader was a bad thing! The sorting hats song played over and over in each friends head,

"Hufflepuff house is the one which you'll always win over" those where the words that stung the most. Ernie stared up at Helga as her eyes twinkled and she smiled benignly at the five friends, unlike the Gryffindors precious Fat lady, the portrait of Helga had not been bewitched with Helga's personality, in fact no one was quite sure if the portrait even looked like Helga Hufflepuff.

The portrait was comparatively new, being only 200 years old, it had replaced a painting of a lavish table setting which had been burned during the great kitchen fires of 1769.

The then current headmaster had insisted that the kitchen house elves be given a holiday and subsequently in their panic at having a full day without work had over feed the huge kitchen fires and ovens in order to provide enough food and warmth for all the students for their day of absence.

Susan chuckled to herself at the thought of that story, it had been one that Cedric Diggory had been very found of telling all the first years, Susan wondered if little miss SPEW knew that story. She properly didn't, Susan finally told herself Granger was only interested in cold hard facts and despite the whimsicalness of the idea it was only a story.

"Izzy Wizzy lets get Bizzy" Hannah chimed drawing her friends out of their self pitying stupors as the rest of the house began to head towards the entrance,

"I beg your pardon?" Zach asked as a small smile crept over his face "Was that a proposition?"

"No Zacharias, my darling and one true love" Ernie jested "that's the new password"

"Who in their right mind suggested that?!?"

"I did" Hannah said bitterly as she climbed though the portrait hole and into their common room

"When did this happen?" Ernie asked as he flopped onto his favourite spot on the sofa, as his friends shook their heads, they all knew that Ernie was talking about the events of the sorting but truthfully none of them really knew, they looked around the Hufflepuff common room as if seeking some miraculous inspirations as the younger students chattered about their holidays and about how good the feast was.

The furniture in the Hufflepuff common room was unlike the other house common rooms, the badgers didn't have one consistent colour scheme or furniture style, everything in Hufflepuff was a mismatch of styles and colours, but each piece of furniture had two similarities, it was functional and comfortable. The five friends arranged themselves on a myriad of seating; Susan's favourite was a pink inflatable chair which once she sat in could never get out of unless she rolled sideways and onto the floor, which according to her was very unlady like, and so was the perfect excuse for her to persuade her friends to fetch things.

Zach and Ernie both preferred the stylish black leather sofa, as did most of the other students in the house and so there was always a fight over who would get it, and even though it was a four seater, Zach would stretch out across it claiming there was only room for himself and Ernie.

Justin always sat in a high backed winged, study chair and would lean back into it so that his face would become obscured, this usually meant that Justin was thinking and he was not to be disturbed.

Hannah unlike her friends never had a specific chair that she would have to sit in, usually she would just opt for anything that was closest, and so it was that she was now perched on a small round three legged foot stool.

"I guess we should really have expected it" Hannah said finally answering Ernie's question "It's not like Draco Malfoy left much room for interpretations did he?"

"That's true" Susan said miserably "Really how many times did he tell us that he would have left if he had been sorted into Huff"

"I think I would have left if he was in Huff" Ernie said as he pulled his shoes off and made himself comfortable, Ernie could tell the he and his friends where in for a long night of whinging, besides Quidditch, homework and poking fun at members of other houses a good bitching session was what the Hufflepuff sixth form loved the most.

"We have to do something to change peoples attitudes" Susan said encouragingly, "Huffs a good house we have to show people that we're not just content at coming last all the time"

"Like how?" Zach said "By winning Quidditch? Get real!"  
  
"Great so even our own chaser doesn't think we can win! Some team spirit we got going" Ernie added

"I'm just talking realistically, no matter how good I and the other Chasers are the two people that count on the teams are the seekers and if Potter is playing this year then we have no chance"

"Well forget about Quidditch" Ernie said "we huffs must be good at something?"

"Yeah bitching, eating and making the other houses feel better about themselves" Zach said bitterly "Just face it we get thrashed at every subject because Granger is the best in it, Potter's better at Quidditch and Dumbledore is always awarding Gryffindor points for the most stupidest thing so we'll never win the house cup!"

"Oooh Potter you almost got killed, FIFTY POINTS TO GRYFFINDOR!!!" Susan called imitating their headmaster as she drew the attentions of the other badgers,

"Knowing our luck, Dumbledore probably has the hour glasses rigged to give points to Gryffindor no matter who says it" Justin said finally emerging from the depth of his chair

"It finally awakes!" Susan said smiling as all the friends turned to look at Justin

"Don't make eye contact Suzie, it'll curse you!" Ernie said acting afraid as he covered his eyes,

"Well actually I was going to suggest-"

"Bugger it, shit fuck, Merlin in muggle hell!" Ernie suddenly yelled as he shot up from the sofa cutting Justin off,

"What is it?!" Hannah asked as she and the rest of sixth form looked at Ernie curiously

"We forgot to bring the first years!" Ernie yelled over his shoulder as he made to run towards the portrait hole

"tut tut" Zach mocked as Hannah chased after Ernie and Justin sank back into his chair looking extremely annoyed.

Ernie and Hannah had reached the portrait hole when it suddenly opened wide to show a very angry looking Professor Sprout, who was followed by five first years.

"Ernest Macmillan" she yelled putting her hands on her hips as she caught sight of Ernie in front of her "I seriously believed that when I suggested you as a prefect that you would have taken your responsibilities very seriously! Abandoning the first years on their very first day is not what I would call responsible, Peeves had found the poor things and was very insistent that the vanishing closet was the entrance to our common room, it's lucky that miss Creevey's older brothers had already forewarned her about our poltergeist or who knows where they would have ended up?!"

"Yes Professor, I'm so sorry it'll never happen again I assure you" Ernie said practically grovelling,

"Yes ....Well..... make sure it doesn't or I'll have your badge and I'll be forced to tell you parents why!" Professor Sprout said in a softer tone that was more natural. The Hufflepuff head of house was the best in the school, or at least all the badgers thought so, unlike Professor Flitwick she could be stern, but she had the compassion that Professor Snape greatly lacked and unlike Professor McGonagall she had a sense of humour and didn't suffer from perpetual constipation.

Professor Sprout wished all of her house a very good nights sleep and all the badgers cheerful wished their head of house the same and with a final warning look at Ernie she left.

"Sorry Ernie" Hannah said reassuringly putting her hand on her friends arm "I forgot as well"

Ernie shrugged he had a pretty good idea why Professor Sprout had singled him out, and the reason had bushy brown hair and was a complete know it all.

"Sorry" Hannah apologised as she smiled at the new first years and began to introduce them to the other students in the common room. Zach took it upon himself to recall word for word the story that Cedric had told the six formers in their first year about the great kitchen fires, he stood with his back towards the roaring house fire as the first years sat on the hearth rug in front of him. He was pleased to see that the story was still able to draw the same exited "ooohs" and "ahhh's" that it had when he first heard it. The story not only pleased the younger students but also the older students, but for the older members of Hufflepuff house it reassured them that the memory of one of their number would never be forgotten. After awhile the two prefects where sure that their negligence at the start of the night had soon been forgotten, Hannah and Ernie led the first years towards their dorms each telling their respective boy or girl group about the amazing and slightly annoying chastity warning system, and how Helga Hufflepuff hadn't been quite as naive as the other founders.

Both the male and female dormitory entrances in the badger house where covered by klaxons and security devices which made it quite impossible for any of the opposite gender to enter the others dormitory. Both Godric and Rowena had opted for only warnings on the female quarters where as Salazar had decided to waver this contraceptive deterrent, but considering that only pure bloods where sorted into Slytherin their founder mustn't have cared if it's pupils urges weren't resisted.


	3. A new day

**Chapter 3: -** A new day  
  
Susan had slept blissfully that night she had dreamed of the man that she loved, Professor Severus Snape, in Susan's dream he had swept her off her feet, quite literally, and carried her off towards the moon filled lake for what had promised to be a romantic and love filled night. That was until Snape was suddenly wearing a pink tutu and dancing with swans on the lakes surface. Susan would have usually have cursed Hannah for this Muggle intrusion into her dream but this time Susan didn't care, at least she got to see Snape's legs!

The five friends always met in the common room every morning before they headed towards the great hall for breakfast, and like usual Zach and Ernie where always waiting in their usual spot on their sofa as the girls emerged from their dorm.

"How long?" Hannah asked without even explaining herself as she perched on the sofa's arm next to Ernie.

"15-20 mins" Zach answered as he stretched and yawned, Every Hufflepuff made sure that they was a credit to their house before they left the common room each day, making sure they had the correct uniform and that it was properly maintained. But for Justin this was an obsession; it usually took him half an hour to tie his tie and he insisted on a different knot each day, his robes had to be neatly pressed each evening, and heaven forbid if his shoes no longer reflected his face.

"He's trying out a four in hand knot today" Ernie said pretending to be excited at his friend's fanatical behaviour,

"Oooooh!" Susan and Hannah both cooed,

"First years at three and nine o clock" Zach warned as the newest badgers emerged for their dormitories all looking a little lost,

"Great" Ernie said miserably "I forgot we had cub duty today"

"Forgot! That thing is practically imprinted into you skin" Susan said playfully as she pointed to Ernie's silver prefect badge "I bet you even sleep with it pinned to your pyjamas!"

"No!" Ernie said his tone suggesting that the idea was ridicules, but Zach nodded his head saying other wise.

Ernie and Hannah headed over to the first years, introduced themselves again and then escorted them towards the great hall, as Zach and Susan followed a few paces behind.

"It's J's problem if he's neurotic" Zach said to Susan as they exited the common room "I'm not missing out on any quality grub time just because his tie refuses to sit at a true ninety degree right angle!"

Professor Sprout was already handing out timetables as the group of badgers entered the hall she smiled sweetly as she saw them enter,

"Wonderful" she beamed as she hurried over to them "And are we all here?" she paused and counted the five little heads even though each one was nodding vigorously

"Splendid, now I'm sure that Ernest" (Ernie groaned at the use of his full name) "and Hannah will be more then pleased to talk you all through your timetables and to tell you where you've all got to go, to help you all settle in and to show you the ropes. It's a big school after all and we don't want any of you getting lost now do we"

"Nooooo" Zach said shaking his head as he stood next to Susan and Ernie "And we don't want any reoccurrences of last night either do we Ernest?" Ernie glared at his friend

"That's quite right Zacharias," Professor Sprout concurred "last night was indeed a little unfortunate but it ended well"

"And we now all know that certain people-err-Ghosts shouldn't be trusted don't we?" Zach continued trying hard not to laugh, as the first years looked slightly guilty and lowered their heads,

"Yes...well that'll do Zacharias" Professor Sprout said sternly

"Maybe Zach would like to volunteer to be a house mentor Miss?" Ernie said smiling to himself as he shot a look at Zach that said '_you asked for it_'.

"I'd love to!" Ernie heard Zach say enthusiastically but Ernie didn't believe it! he couldn't, not when this came form the Hufflepuff that insisted on wearing slip on shoes to save himself from the labours task of tying his shoelaces.

"Wonderful" Sprout said holding her arms wide and looking truly happy as she handed the sixth form and first years their timetables "It's enthusiasm like Zacharias' that makes Hufflepuff what it" she told the first years.

Professor Sprout was the most passionate teacher at Hogwarts, she truly loved her house and her students and showed that enthusiasms in everything that she did, which was one of the reasons that her house loved her so much. She kept all first years under a very guiding and watchful eye to ensure that none of them strayed, and that their abilities and personalities were encouraged to shine and as time progressed and the students grew she became less and less involved to allow them to think independently.

Flitwick was also enthusiastic with his first years but he also tried to show as much enthusiasm for each member of his house as oftener as he could and even though his intentions was good a final year would get the same praise as a first year, and after seven years of "oooh very good" the final years begin to find it a little patronising.

McGonagall had always tried to be understanding towards her students but she was more lenient to other house students then her own, she would hand out timetables and the start of term and tell each student that if they had problems they were welcome to consult her or a prefect any at anytime. But considering that she could only think logically and dealt in facts and figures she always seemed a little cold and uncaring, while if anyone approached prefect Ron Weasley with their problems it would be broadcasted all over Gryffindor tower before the poor unfortunate could say "can you keep a secret?"

And the Slytherins head of house professor Snape was one of the most uncaring teachers in the school even an acromantula had more compassion for Hogwarts students then he did. At the start of term he would dump his house timetables onto their house table for each student to fetch themselves. But he did show that he did care more about his own students then those from other houses because he would print his office open times on each time table so that if the students had a problem they could visit him at any time between 18:00-18:15 on a Thursday evening if they had pre booked an appointment three weeks in advance.  
  
"Man am I starving I didn't even know how hungry I was!" one of the smaller first years boys said as Hannah and Susan led the first years to their places at the Hufflepuff table,

"That's all to do with the aromas that stimulated your nasal follicles as we passed the kitchens, your not actually any hungrier then you where a minute ago your just more aware of it, it's all to do with basic human survival instincts" Zach said wisely as Susan, Ernie and Hannah grinned in amusement at their friends remarkable and absolutely useless knowledge, but the little first years all seemed very impressed and looked at Zach in awe.

"So let's see which subjects you've all got first" Hannah said as she surveyed the first year's time table as they helped themselves to food and talked excitedly with Zach and Susan "Well it says that you've got potions first, That's a really good subject it's very interesting and quite difficult"

"And the teacher's just dreamy!" Susan said as she closed her eyes and remembered her dream

"Isn't the teacher professor Snape?" Mary Creevey asked as she looked down at her timetable to see that the potions master this year hadn't changed,

"We have to apologise for our dear Suzie Q" Ernie said "she's got major issues"

"We usually keep her in a padded room and only let her out for special occasions, Halloween, Christmas, East-OW!!!" Zach said before he was cut off by Susan leaning across the table and pinching and twisting his nipple as the first years laughed and giggled,

"My-My brothers said that Hufflepuff wasn't a very good house to be sorted into" Mary said meekly, The sixth form all let out a collective groan as they remembered the events of the previous night,

"Well some people do believe that" Hannah said as she tried to quickly think up a plausible reason why, it was no good having the first years thinking that they was doomed before their life at Hogwarts had started, but Zach beat her to it,

"Yeah but their not badgers are they?" Zach said cheerfully drawing five huge smiles from the little first years, "You see there's a unique bond between each Hufflepuffian unlike the other houses we take care of our own, not just a select few. Badgers stick together! So if you have any" he stressed the word "Problems, if your stuck on your homework, or if your lost, upset or just want a laugh and a talk then come find us. Or any other member of our house" The smiles of the first years doubled as did those of the other sixth years.

The rest of breakfast was passed by the sixth form in silence as they ate and the first years chatted excitedly amongst themselves and the rest of the house. It wasn't until Justin arrived that the sixth forms silence was broken,

"Thanks for leaving me guys!" Justin said as he sat on the bench next to Susan and Hannah "I really do appreciate it!"

"We did wait for you!" Ernie insisted "You just didn't turn up while we were waiting that's all"

"You can't argue with that" Susan said as she turned to answer one of Mary's questions and Justin raised his eyebrow.

"Just remembered that whatever mean and nasty things Snapey says it doesn't matter, and why doesn't it matter?" Zach said to the first years as the sixth form badgers escorted them to their first lesson in the dungeons,

"Because we're badgers!" The first years chorused

"Right!" Zach said

"Snape's usual style is to scare and to intimidate" Justin continued "Usually he picks on students that he thinks are know-it-alls or ....the opposite"

"Good recovery" Susan praised before she continued the first years pep talk "So don't give him any cause to think that you'll be the class swot or class dunce"

"If he asks the class a question and you know the answer then raise your hand" Zach said "and if you don't know the answer then don't give him a reason to single you out"

"And don't answer too many questions voluntarily he hates that" Hannah added speaking from experience

"Do not talk during his class, unless he asks you a question" Ernie called from the rear of the group "Do take notes, Do not make any funny noises or pass notes when his back is turned-"

"Don't do anything when his back is turned!" Zach added

"Do be prepared to lose points even if you sneeze," Ernie continued "and most importantly DO NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT!!!"

"Ooooooh, good one Ernie!" Susan said cheerfully

"And don't let him know Suzie Q loves him it'll freak the old man out!" Zach added playfully as Susan folded her arms and mumbled that her darling hubby to be wasn't old, he was vintage!

"Ready?" Zach asked as they reached the class room door and five round faces nodded nervously

"Also remember to always say yes professor, no professor or yes sir no sir, he loves to know that you know that he is in charge" Susan said drawing on the valuable knowledge that she had learned over the years.

"Listen to that bit of advice" Zach said in a hushed whisper as he bent down to talk to the first years "but generally when Suzie talks about Snape we ignore her right!"

"Right!" the first years said smiling at Zach's words

"Now get going!" Hannah urged the young badgers as Zach winked at them and pattered them on the back as the newest members of Hufflepuff headed into their very first Hogwarts lesson.

"That was great!" Susan beamed up at Zach as the five friends headed to their own lesson "Where did you get all that from?

"I don't know?" Zach replied solemnly "I guess I just asked myself what Cedric would have done?" the five friends paused for a moment in silence remembering Cedric Diggory

"He was great wasn't he?" Susan said simply, and everyone agreed, Cedric had been great. The five badgers' first lesson, charms, was over shadowed by their memories of Cedric's last day and even professor Flitwicks promise that this year would be their best year and that they would soon be learning Apparition didn't help to draw the badgers out of their memories.  
  
"We never win anything!" Justin had said on the day of the third task as he and the then fourth years entered the common room during their lunch time to fetch their books for their afternoon lessons.

"That's cos we suck at everything" Zach had said callously

"We're good at Quidditch!" Hannah had offered

"Good at yeah, not brill at! It sucks so much that we didn't win last year!" Zach had said venting is pent up anger

"And all because Ced was a gentleman and he gave that snitch away to Ravenclaw" Ernie had said sounding disgusted

"We all know the reason for that!" Hannah had said sounding unimpressed at Cedric Diggory's choice of a none badger girlfriend

"I'd have knocked her off her broom" Susan had added remembering how she had hoped Cedric would have asked her to be his date for the Yule ball "And then I'd have whacked her with it!"

"Arghhhh! WE NEVER WIN ANYTHING!!!" Zach yelled again in his frustration as the five friends stepped into the common room to find Cedric Diggory standing near the fire place, looking directly at the younger badgers.

"Bugger it" Zach whispered but in the stunned silence that had fell onto the almost empty room Cedric had still heard Zach's words and he smiled.

"Did you...err...how much did you...hear?" Ernie had asked their prefect,

"Most of it" Cedric had said trying to hide his amusement,

"E-Even the..." Susan stuttered in utter horror but trailed off as she couldn't finish

"Even the whacking?" Cedric finished off her sentence as Susan nodded meekly "No" Cedric had said smiling. He always smiled Susan remembered. He had a perfect smile and no matter how miserable your day had been Cedric's smile would reassure you that because you was a badger everything would be ok.

"You don't seem...err... to be too... err..." Zach had said before he to had trailed off

"Angry?" Cedric had asked as he rested his arm on the fireplace's mantle

"I would have said Pissed" Zach had said mildly which had drawn another smile from Cedric,

"No Zach I'm not pissed, in fact you've all made me realise something I've been trying to understand for a very long time. I've been sitting in here alone for ages thinking and wondering, and yet I guess if I was honest with myself I had always known it even if I had never accepted it" Back then the five fourth years didn't have any idea what Cedric had been talking about, but being the intuitive person that Cedric was he had already guessed that the younger badgers did know,

"You've noticed it yourselves, or at least I'm guessing so from your vivid comments....We're all too soft" Cedric had said but the fourth years tried to protest but Cedric had cut them off as he continued "Hufflepuff is thought of as the joke of the school-" The fourth years protested but again Cedric hadn't let them,

"Don't get me wrong it's great to be a Badger, we've the best characteristics of all the houses and unlike the other houses we get along with every other student in our house-"

"We have to" Ernie had said flashing a look at Zach "We've got the fewest members" Cedric laughed,

"Maybe but I like to think that it's because we have pride in our house, that being a Badger is more then a name it's part of who we are, we're a sort of clan, a family and it's about time we showed the entire school that being a badger means more then just being here and being nice to people. It's about time we showed the school the respect that we have for ourselves and our house, that we do have pride, Family pride"

The five fourth years smiled broadly, enthused with Cedric's enthusiasm and patriotism,

"So...So your going to win it then Ced?" Susan asked timidly, she had always been nervous around Cedric,

"Yes Suzie I'm going to try"

"Yeah!!!" Zach and Justin had yelled as they dashed forwards and hugged Cedric,

"We always knew you were going to win" Zach had said cheerfully "Ever since your name was said at Halloween we just knew that you'd make huff proud!"

"Whoa...I've not won it yet you know" Cedric had said trying to settle the younger badgers,

"No, but you will Ced"

"We know you will!"

"We've got faith in you!"

"You'll thrash Potter!"

"You'll never let Huff down!"

"He would have still been alive today if it hadn't been for us" Susan whispered softly as Flitwick talked them through their new homework,

"Yeah" the four badgers said solemnly.


	4. Crime and punishment

**Chapter 4: -** Crime and punishment  
  
In truth the Badgers hated themselves, and although they knew that they had never truly been the cause of Cedric's demise, they couldn't help but feel guilty. For months after Cedric's death and an entire year before the whole truth had been reviled, the Daily Prophet and other newspapers and magazines had tried to speculate what had happened to Hogwarts' school champion. While all the time five Badgers shared the same haunting memory of their dear friends last day and the reason for Cedric's death was, as they believed, their want of glory.  
  
The Five sixth form badgers traipsed back to the potions dungeon to collect their young wards, or as badger first years are more commonly referred to in Hufflepuff house, Cubs.

"Quickly move away from the door" Zach said as he beckoned the five young cubs away from their class at the end of their lesson,

"So how did it go?" Ernie asked noticing that all the cubs' eyes were dry and that they all actually looked pretty happy.

"He was just like my brothers described" Mary Creevey beamed happily,

"He's so mean, he made one of the Ravenclaw girls cry" another cub said

"They always do" Susan said callously to the young boy "That's their little trick, so watch out for it!" The first years looked at Susan slightly confused,

"You remember that rule we discussed about our Suzie?" Zach said in a sort of patronising tone as the young badgers nodded and chorused out loud,

"Never listen to what Suzie has to say!"

"Great!" Zach beamed at them as he raised his thumbs and the three female cubs smiled at him in adoration.

"Right well I'll take these off to their next lesson" Hannah said sensing the danger, it had been the same the year before and the year before that, Zach always had to be nice to the cubs and the girls always developed crushes on him. Hufflepuff's younger dorms where full of giggling preteens that fancied Zach, but Zach's trouble was that even though he tried occasionally being cruel to the girls, the girls would love him even more, mainly because he had always been nice to them before. That and the fact that he was on the Quidditch team.

Zach was the only member of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team that had his own fan base, he wouldn't really have minded so much if they had been girls from his own year or the final year, hell he wouldn't have minded if they where from the fifth or fourth, but Zach found something seriously wrong with idea that ten, eleven and twelve year olds fancied him.

"I'll meet you after class" Hannah said biding her friends farewell as Mary quizzed her on the reason why Hannah herself wasn't studying NEWT level potions and the two other female cubs shyly waved Zach goodbye as the male cubs eagerly rushed up the dungeon stairs for their next lesson.  
  
"That Mary Creevey is going to be a handful" Zach said as the four sixth formers headed into their potions class room and took their usual seats at the back as they waited for their fellow student to arrive, or at least three of them did. Susan was busy brushing her hair, reapplying her mascara and adding another coat of lipstick to her already immaculately painted lips.

"How do I look?" Susan asked Justin when she had finished,

"Like Picasso's muse" Justin beamed knowing too well that Susan being a pureblood didn't know who Picasso was and what he did. In truth Justin thought that Susan was extremely pretty, Susan's long blond hair was pulled up and her fringe framed her face giving her an intelligent and alluring aura, she oozed self-confidence. Her lipstick accentuated her lips and her eyes looked bright and full, Justin had to struggle to resist the strong urge to lean over and kiss her, but for Justin this feeling was nothing new. He wasn't clearly sure when he had stopped being friends with Susan and had instead become her number one admirer. He guessed that truthfully he had had these feelings all along but being the type of person that seconded guessed everything Justin had missed several opportunities to tell Susan how he felt and now Justin believed it was far too late and he was now forever doomed to stay nothing but Susan's friend.

'_Snape_' Justin thought as he watched Susan twirling a strand of golden hair between her fingers '_was a very lucky man!_'. Besides Pansy Parkinson, Susan was the prettiest girl in their year.  
  
The rest of the class soon filed into the room and found their seats. Because Potions was the hardest subject to gain a place in at NEWT level it meant that the numbers of students in the class was very low. Only students who had gained an Outstanding in their potions OWL where allowed to study potions in their sixth and seventh year. And only a handful of students who had been eligible to sit potions at NEWT level had chosen to do so, the main reason for their abstaining was mainly due to the subject being taught by Susan's favourite teacher. Only eleven out of those eligible had chosen to continue their torture for a further two years and so the masochistic six form from all four houses found themselves together for the first time in one class, Four insane Hufflepuffs, Three Ravenclaws (2 girls, 1boy), Two Slytherins (1 girl, 1 boy) and Two Gryffindors(1 girl, 1 boy).  
  
"Why does Snapey even bother to leave the class?" Zach moaned at his prolonged torture, "it's not like he's got time to do anything in between the bloody lesson!!!" Zach's presence in the potions class was one that had been greeted with both utter disbelief and shock by his friends over the holidays, the disbelief came for the fact that no one not even Zach himself had imagined that he would have achieved such a high grade in the subject. The shock had come for the fact that Zach although hating their teacher and the subject for the past five years had chosen to sit it for a further two!

"Shut up will you!" Susan chastised ALL the boys instantly transforming form the beautiful genteel girl she had been a second ago into a venomous harpy, Justin shrank from her rage as he tried to give Susan a full view of the real culprit; Zach who was sitting on Justin's other side.

"Yes don't you know that seeing darling Severus in his billowing cape as he enters the room is the highlight of our Suzie Q's day!?!" Ernie jested from the safety of the far end of the bench and completely immune to his female friend's rages.

"So I'll buy her a cape?" Zach said leaning past Justin "Just please don't start telling us about your sickening Snape fantasies!"

"Snapeasies!" Ernie jested

"Snapeasies?, very catchy I like it" Susan said as she suddenly reverted back to her innocent girly girl form and began to use her caldron's insides as a mirror to check her makeup "besides my dreams aren't sickening there actually quite romantic, we were having a picnic last night- Bugger off!!!" Susan's last comment was aimed at one of the Ravenclaw girls who had turned around and was now giving Susan a very disgusted look, any further rebuke that Susan may had been tempted to offer was abruptly ended as the man of Susan's dreams entered the room.

Susan held her breath trying to capture the moment forever, the scene seemed to play out in slow motion as Professor Severus Snape, Potions master, lord and master, romantic hero and love god extraordinaire, strode into the room with all the elegance and grace that befitted a man with such prowess and fine breeding. His strong defined eagle like profile was accentuated by his long silky jet black hair that framed his face and contrasted with his pure unblemished skin. His cape billowed in his wake and his long silky hair fluttered slightly as he crossed the room towards his desk. Susan sighed an audible sigh as the moment passed, and the world returned to normal speed.

Justin, Zach and Ernie on the other hand saw nothing of the eloquence that Susan had perceived, they had merely seen a very annoyed greasy haired pallid skinned Snape barge his way into the room his cape billowing behind him making him look like some huge ugly misshaped bat!

"Good Morning" Snape sneered not even bothering to look at his class as he surveyed the register "I believe that congratulation is in order for all year six's, The abysmal grade standards of last year which beat the schools previous years record has now been surpassed by your year" Snape paused and looked at his class. Justin knew that Snape was waiting for the penny to drop for most of the students, the Gryffindors and Slytherins in particular.

The Badgers however where already use to Snape's favourite hobby, usually with potions classes consisting of Gryffindor and Slytherin only students Snape would solely concentrate his venom on the Gryffindor portion of the class, but in a potions class that consisted of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws there was too large a target. To over come this Snape had to make more of an effort, and so by directing his derogative discourse to the entire class and by hiding his usual hate and snide remarks in general conversation Snape was able to deduct points while most students where still trying to figure out if they had just been insulted or complimented.  
  
"Well really!" Ernie heard someone huff on the bench opposite, Ernie didn't have to turn his head to know that the comment had came from Hermione Granger,

"See," Zach said sarcastically to his friends "we Badgers do contribute to the school after all!" Even though it was the lamest joke any of the badgers had ever heard all their previous warnings and advice to the cubs had gone unheeded as the boys burst out laughing. Any laughing during a potions class was strictly off limits to any pupil not from Slytherin but at the exact moment that the boys had begin to laugh Susan had began to admire the view of Snape from the rear as he turned to write on the board.

"Pray tell what may I ask is so amusing Mr Macmillan?" Snape demanded as he span round to glare at the hufflepuffs, Susan sighed in disappointment at the loss of her favourite view, and Snape and other members of the class mistook her meaning for disapproval for her house mates.

"We....err...." Ernie stuttered, he was taken aback by the fact that out of all three boys that had laughed he had been singled out "It.... Err...."

"It was me sir" Zach voiced saving his friend from Snape's wrath as his gaze shifted to Zach,

"Ahh, Mr Smith" Snape purred as the corner of his mouth twitched into a small and meekest of smiles "I should have guessed, I'll ask again Smith, What do you and that pack of dunderheads you call friends find so amusing", Draco laughed openly as Pansy stared eagerly at Zach. Zach balled his fists under the desk, Snape signalling him out during potions was a regular occurrence and was one of the reasons why his friends had thought he wouldn't have chosen to sit the subject at NEWT level, Zach however had a very thick skin and could handle all of Snape's derogative remarks aimed at him, Snape actually reminded Zach of his father, What Zach didn't like and couldn't handle was attacks on the people that he cared about.

"I said that you was a greasy haired son of a-"

"Zach!!!" Susan exclaimed cutting her friend off as Snape's eyes flashed dangerously and Pansy, Hermione and the two Ravenclaw girls shrieked in shock and Ernie, Justin and Harry potter stared at Zach in amazement and wonder,

"And this is one of the short cuts you can use" Hannah said pointing to a tapestry as she led the Cubs from their second lesson of the day, "It leads to the third floor and directly to the charms corridors" Hannah who had spent her second period free from lessons had collected the Cubs from history of magic and was now leading them back to the great hall for lunch,

"How did Professor Binns die?" Edwina Cadwallader enquired,

"Is there lots of hidden passages?" Dillon Forsyth asked as he poked his head around the tapestry,

"Is that lesson always that boring?" Kevin Kettleburn queried

"When's the first Quidditch match?" Mary Creevey asked excitedly, The final Cub Patience Reinhold just walked next to Hannah humming to herself happily,

"I don't know, Yes, Yes, you'll have to ask Zach" Hannah replied to each of their questions, Hannah had never known anyone to be as inquisitive as the new cubs, but last year as fifth year prefects she and Ernie wasn't given the responsibility of looking after cubs.

Fifth year prefects roles were mainly learning the job for preparation for the sixth year. The job of supervising cubs along with many others meaningless and tedious tasks was given to sixth year prefects, while final year prefects had only honorary roles due to their NEWTS. Hannah led the Cubs to their seats at the Hufflepuff table and supervised them as they quickly filled their plates and mouths.

"Was we ever that curious?" Hannah asked Philip Bellman a final year Badger, Phil just grinned and continued to eat his meal, "I'll take that as a yes!"  
  
"Where have you lot been?" Hannah said to her fellow Sixth formers as Susan, Ernie and Justin hurried over to their seats at the table and quickly filled their plates, they was over fifteen minutes late for lunch,

"Where's Zach?" Eddie, Mary and Patience asked as their eyes quickly scanned the hall,

"Zach's....kind of in...err...." Susan mumbled,

"Zach's an idiot who never fallows his own advice!" Justin said

"He's still with Snape" Ernie confessed "their waiting for Professor Sprout!"

"What did he do this time?" Hannah asked as the neighbouring Badgers fell quite in order to listen to this new and promisingly juicy bit of gossip about one of their most troublesome housemates.

"He called Snape a Son of a female dog!" Susan wailed as she hid her head in her arms on top of the table as she shook it trying to rid her mind of the insult that had been cast on her man.

"Well that doesn't sound as bad as what he called Snape last year!" Hannah said and then the full gravity of what her friends words had meant hit her as she suddenly realised that there was a single alternative word that could be used to describe a female dog!

"Merlin no!!!" Hannah said gasping for breath "He-He-He didn't?!?!" The pained looks of her friends as they slowly nodded confirmed Hannah's worst thoughts. "That's ten times worse then what he called Snape last year!"

"And this year he said it to his face, so Snape knew it was him!!!" Susan said her voice still muffled as she burrowed her face deeper into her arm,

"There, there Suzie" Ernie said as he patted Susan on the back "I'm sure Snapeypoo will get over it!"

"You think?" Susan asked hopefully finally lifting her head from her hiding place "I know he hides it well but he's actually very sensitive about these things! Are you sure Professor Snape will be ok?"

"Yes of cause the Greasy git bag will!!!" Justin raged "It's hardly an insult when it's a truth! Besides we-" he pointed towards Ernie, Hannah and himself "care about what's happening to our friend, Zacharias! You remember him don't you?!?!"

"Well I care about Zach too" Susan pleaded "It's just....just... Oh shut up!!!" Justin smiled to himself, he really did like Susan a lot and in fact he would go as far as saying that he loved her, But hearing her talk about one certain teacher all the time always made him angry, usually he contented himself by focusing on the fact that Susan was just playing up the idea that she fancied Snape and that one day she would realise that there was a boy closer to home and her own age that wanted to show her as much passion and devotion she was wanting to show their potion's master. But it was times like these that Justin wished Susan would priorities and fixate on the problems at hand and not the fantasies that she created in her head!  
  
Zach didn't join the friends throughout lunch and nor was he in any of their other lessons that afternoon, Finally when the four Badgers headed across the grounds towards Herbology greenhouse 6 for their final lesson of the day they had all mutually decided that they would ask their head of house professor Sprout about Zach's whereabouts. Like all of their lessons that year the class consisted of students from each house that had chosen to study that subject at NEWT level. There was the usual Gryffindor crowd minus Parvati and Lavender who had decided that soil under their fingernails wasn't attractive. Draco and Pansy were amongst the Slytherins taking the class, and their was a number of Ravenclaws including Lisa Turnip, Michael Corner and Padma Patial, the latter kept throwing venomous looks at Ron Weasley as he chatted with Harry and Hermione.  
Justin and Ernie led the four badgers to the front of the class as Professor Sprout entered the Greenhouse,

"I see that you've finally made it into at least one class this year!" Draco Laughed directing his comments at Hannah as she and Susan passed him, following Ernie and Justin towards their head of house.

"Hee hee!" Susan faked a laugh as she turned and looked at Draco as Hannah tried to urge her not to retaliate "How's your Daddy settling in at Azkaban Malfoy? Has he got his own privet room yet? I hope he's enjoying the room service? And with any luck he'll become the guards close personal friend, I hope he'll enjoy his midnight smooching session with them!" Draco's eyes narrowed dangerously as both he and Susan's hand quickly dived into their robes pockets towards their wands,

"Stop it now!" Hannah said as she quickly pulled Susan away, "You've got to control yourself Suzie, Draco can not choose his parents any more then you can bring back your uncle" Hannah warned her best friend as she finally pulled Susan after the boys, "Besides it's not smart to try and rile Draco and you know it!"

Susan shrugged Hannah off, she like most people not in Slytherin disliked Draco Malfoy and his family, But Susan had other reasons why she hated the Malfoys, it was deatheaters like Lucius Malfoy that had wiped out most of her family purely because they refused to support You-know-who.  
  
"Professor, could we ask where Zach is?!?" Susan heard Justin ask as they finally reached the front of the class. Professor Sprout looked slightly distracted as she placed her multitude of gardening tools, trays and bag onto her desk.

"Zacharias?" Sprout said absently as she busied herself with finding something in her bag at the same time she handed Justin and Ernie a stack of trays "Oh...yes... well he's packing"

"What!!!" Hannah, Ernie and Susan exclaimed in shock at their head of house words, Susan could swear she had heard Pansy Parkinson making a muffled noise behind her hand, as Ernie dropped his stack of trays with a clatter, drawing the attention of the entire class.

"What ever's the matter Macmillan?" Sprout asked angrily as Ernie quickly bent to pick up his trays, "You really are making me wonder if I did right by appointing you prefect!"

Besides Flitwick, Sprout was the nicest teacher at Hogwarts, but were her gardening equipment and plants were concerned she was very protective

"He's been expelled?!?!" Justin asked in utter disbelief, wondering why Zach had never come to tell his four closest friends that he had to leave Hogwarts forever.

"Oh Merlin no!" Professor Sprout said laughing at the shocked expressions on her sixth form badgers faces as she finally understood, "It has been decided that Mr Smith shall be put on a three day suspension, he's not to attend lessons until next week and he's to spend that time in detention working for Professor Snape packing and labelling the professors potions ingredients"

The four Badgers breathed a sigh of relief, well Hannah, Justin and Ernie did, Susan's sigh was tinted with an air of sexual depravity as she imagined herself in Zach's position at having to share the rest of the week in a certain teacher's presence,

"Zach's so lucky" Susan said as the badgers returned back to their places at the back of the class,

"Somebody Stupefy her!" Justin begged as he covered his ears "or she'll be at it all day!"


	5. Trouble in paradise

**Chapter 5: -** Trouble in paradise  
  
It had been almost two weeks since the students of Hogwarts had returned back to school after their summer holidays. Zach had spent most of his time working off his suspension and doing menial jobs for the entire faculty, but mostly of his time was spent with Professor Snape who seemed contented at finding Zach the most diabolical and disgusting tasks to complete. Zach had returned back to normal classes a changed boy, he was even more rowdy and loud and big headed, he consistently made everything into a joke and calmed he wished to live life to the full! Ernie and Hannah had a theory for this behaviour and it was that they believed that Zach was making up for the days that he had lost under the drudgery of the oppressive teaching staff. Susan however had a different theory; she believed that Zach was merely showing off to the female members of the other houses, purely based on the fact that Zach was male and a member of the Quidditch team.  
  
"Where do you get so much twaddle from?" Justin asked as he, Susan, Ernie and Zach headed to Susan's favourite lesson of the week, which was also the boys least favourite; Potions.  
  
"It's not twaddle!" Susan protested "It's a magical fact, it says so in this months quibbler!"

"The Quibbler!" Justin laughed "Oh Susan you shouldn't believe what you read in that silly magazine!" Susan glared at Justin, he could be so narrow minded sometimes!

"Are you forgetting that the quibbler printed the only truth about what happened to Cedric! Or that it was the first publication to print about the return of Lord V-Vol-Volder-you-know-who!"

"Wow!" Justin said as he stopped and stared at Susan in amazement, not because she had for once proven him wrong but for the fact that Susan had nearly said the dark lord's real name. Justin smiled lovingly as his and Susan's eyes met, out of all the students in Hogwarts, Harry potter included, Susan had the most reason to hate the dark lord and his followers. Susan's entire pureblood family had been nearly wiped out by death eaters because they had refused to swear allegiance to the dark side. And Susan like her aunt and mother carried the same fighting spirit that her relatives had done. It was a strength that Justin admired, like most things about Susan, but Justin admired Susan's strength because like the girl he secretly loved he was the only one, or so he hoped, that had noticed it and her growing over the years. As more and more news of the dark lord spread Susan had became stronger, it had been a necessity in the Bones family, as all had been badgers for generations and all badgers were innately strong. But Susan's strength had had been built on a mountain of rage and hatred and as much as Justin admired it he also feared that it would one day consume the women that he loved.  
  
"That's just one example!!!" Ernie said his voice pierced Justin's thoughts as Justin quickly regained his composure as the silence that had fallen on the small group had been lifted.

"That's the main one!" Susan retorted tearing her eyes away from Justin, "This article about guys is the truth too!"

Justin sighed all he ever thought about these days was Susan and it killed him to think that she didn't think of him in the same way that he thought of her

"It's the very same article that shows why Zach is showing off in class!" Susan continued "it says that all males" here Susan prodded Justin waking him from yet more thoughts about Susan "think about only two things, sex and sports!" Both Justin and Zach laughed nervously.

"I hate to be the one that breaks it to you Suzie Q" Ernie said smiling as he played his ace "But I happen to be a male but I don't think about sex nor sports!"

"You don't count!"

"Like hell he doesn't!" Zach said clutching to both Ernie and his last hope to prove he didn't always think about sex or sports. In truth Zach always did but he couldn't bear the thought of living with Susan for the remainder of the year if she believed that she had been right!

"Ernie doesn't count he's not a full male! He's practically a girl!" Susan said

"Thanks Suzie sweety!" Ernie said sarcastically in a full blown rage "I only fancy guys it doesn't mean that I want to go the entire Lippy, stilettos, cheese-string undies, she-man way! Okay?" Ernie and Susan both glared at each other but they couldn't hold it any longer as they both burst out laughing and the four badgers continued on their way to the dungeons, Ernie and Susan taking point.

"So I guess the sports thing is what makes 'Cho the ho' so attractive?" Ernie said as he and Susan leaned on each other for support, as they still laughed,

"That and the fact that she puts out" Susan laughed even harder "She hasn't got that nickname because she likes Herbology you know!"  
Thankfully by the time the friends had reached their class the fit of giggles that ordinarily befell Ernie and Susan had subsided. The four houses entered the class silently as the man that filled all of Susan's dreams both night and day swept along the rows of benches handing back the previous weeks home work with his own joyous comments to each pupil, Susan watched in awe as Snape slowly moved nearer and nearer,

"Very poor attempt Entwhistle", Snape sneered to Kevin the boy from Ravenclaw who sat in front of Susan "Abysmal yet again Potter" He said to Harry as his lips curled into a smile   
"Try harder next time Macmillan" Snape said thrusting Ernie's paper at him "Very good Miss Bones"

Susan's heart stopped in mid beat, her breath caught in her throat as the tall elegant potions master stood before her casting his shadow over her as he loomed above her, Susan felt giddy as she stammered her reply

"T-Thank you sir!" Susan said smiling up at her professor, their eyes met and Susan finally breathed, she could tell there in that instance that she and Severus was meant to be together, Susan saw the passion in his eye but no sooner had the connection been made then it ended as Snape lovingly placed Susan's homework on the desk in front of her and he smiled the most elegant of smiles.

Justin however saw his most hated potions master slam Susan's work hard onto the desk as he glared at her "Very good Miss Bones" Snape spat as Susan made her reply as an involuntary twitch made the corner of Snape's lip curved slightly upwards which to some may have been construed as a grin.

"Finch-Fletchley your slipping!" Snape glared "Smith Tragic as usual!" the potions master said as he continued on his tour of the class Zach today like most days after his time spent alone with Snape spoke very little during potions lessons, he kept his head down never willingly giving Snape any course to single him out, this of course never stopped Snape from asking him the hardest questions or aiming even more rude remarks and comments at him, but Zach now tried to take this abuse humbly, all his words were followed with 'Sir' and his words were always kept to the minimum, 'Yes sir', 'no sir', 'thank you sir' and 'I don't know sir'. It wasn't that Zach had suddenly discovered that being subservient towards Snape would mean less harsh comments made by the professor, Zach's change of character in potions was due to the simple fact that Professor Sprout, Zach's head of house, who ordinarily was thought of as the sweetest teacher in the school had threatened Zach with the removal of him from the house Quidditch team if he didn't amend his ways in close proximity to Snape.  
  
After the homework was handed out the class continued as normal, Susan admired with a slightly tilted head the views that where offered as Snape wrote lists of ingredients onto the black board, as the rest of the class copied the ingredients down.

"This is the potion that you will all be making in your next lesson" Snape said as he turned to face his class "You are all required to collect your own ingredients by the next lesson from the castle grounds and the surrounding areas, note that the main ingredient is asphodel, can anyone tell me another use of this herb and why it is so important in potion making?" Immediately every head in the class turned towards Hermione who's hand was already in the air,

"Anyone?" Snape asked the class in general "Potter?"

The badgers watched as snape went through his usual facade of asking almost every member in the class the same question as they all replied that they didn't know, while Granger became more and more agitated, The badgers previously had only shared Herbology with Granger and the other Gryffindors but Justin had always thought that it was rather sad that Granger still insisted on being the class swot for every subject, not to mention that it was very annoying especially when others might know the answers but where never given a chance to shine as the bushy know-it-all thrived on attention from the teachers.

"Very well Miss Granger" Snape said scathingly as he turned to Hermione "Surprise me with your knowledge!"

"Asphodel or Asphodelus Ramosus is used as a main ingredient for the draught of the living death" Hermione beamed

"Correct as ever Miss Granger" Snape said his voice full of venom as he turned back to his desk,

"Everyone knows that by now!" Justin said to Zach as his friend nodded his agreement

"I bet she's so proud of it too!" Ernie said as the boys glanced at Granger as she sat next to Potter on the bench opposite the badgers, "She must know that no one else likes her but Potter and Weasley"

"I doubt it!" Zach whispered for once breaking his promised vow to his head of house to share his gossip "Lavender Brown told me that even her own room mates don't like her because she's so bossy and controlling"

"Really?" Ernie asked in amazement, his voice still low "Imagine not even being friends with your room mates"

"I know it's awful!" Zach said

"What where you doing alone with Lavender Brown anyway?" Justin asked but he didn't even wait to hear the promising reply as a voice from his other side rang clear across the now silent class room.  
  
"Sir! If you please" Susan said as she put her hand in the air as she shot a menacing glare at granger, no way was Susan going to let Granger look so good in front of her man!

"Yes Miss Bones" Snape said in a very tired sort of voice,

"Asphodel is also know as the King's spear and in potions making it's quite important to remember that only the roots must be used as the leaves are quite toxic" Susan paused as she saw the faint flicker of a smile appear on Snape's face, this was her moment to shine Susan thought and so she continued "Asphodel has many more uses then just for making the draught of the living death" Susan threw Granger another hate filled look as the two Ravenclaw girls in front giggled and Draco Malfoy and Pansy smiled cruelly as Granger turned slightly red

"Asphodel is used in many magical healing potions especially as a restorative agent for cuts and burns as the root can be ground into a fine powder and mixed with liquids to create a thick substance that is then spread over the injured areas to prevent infections and reduce the pain."

Snape surveyed Susan with slight interest his eyebrows slightly raised in amazement, but Susan wasn't ready to finish yet,

"Asphodel leaves are used despite their poisonous qualities as a hallucinogenic in Abyssinian, in china the roots are added to Muggle facial cream were it helps to remove blemishes and gives the skin a fresh, soft and supple feeling, the roots can also be fermented to create a very potent Alcoholic beverage, or so I've been informed, and finally the most common place to find Asphodel is in church graveyards as it was a custom to plant them on fresh graves as the flowers were thought to be food for the dead."

Justin, Zach and Ernie stared at their house mate in utter amazement, their mouths slightly open.  
  
"Very well informed Miss Bones" Snape said as he returned to his desk "Five points to Hufflepuff!" The entire class now turned to look at Susan who blushed slightly no house other then Slytherin had ever received points from Snape before.

"you see class" Snape continued "there are the facts and then there are the facts, Miss Bones has obviously taken the trouble to research this subject very rigorously on all aspects when as others..." here Snape shot a look towards Hermione Granger as once again a smile played around his lips "..Only believe that the bare minimum will do"

Susan turned to see Granger glaring at her, but Susan didn't care instead she stuck her tongue out at Granger and the Gryffindor looked scandalised as Susan laughed silently to herself no one was going to show off in front of her man,  
  
"How did you know all that?" Justin asked still in amazement at Susan's hidden talents.

"This months copy of the Quibbler" Susan said unabashed "Their running a different article each month on the most useful plants in magical potions making!" Justin's jaw dropped, obviously the quibbler did have it's uses after all.  
  
"Remember your assignment of collecting your own ingredients prior to your next lesson!" Snape roared as he dismissed his sixth form NEWT class "And leave last weeks set homework on my desk on your way out!" All the class quickly gathered their things, Hermione and Potter was the first to leave,

"OooohOoohhh!" Ernie cooed as Hermione brushed passed Susan knocking her hard in the shoulder making Susan turn to one side as Justin and Zach quickly hurried towards Susan, The rest of the class filed out in a buzz of excitement that was very uncommon after potions,

"Good one Bones!" Draco beamed happily as he and Pansy headed out of the door "It's about time some one showed that Mu-"

"Draco!" Pansy said warningly as she shot the Badgers a final glace before she too left the class

"Come along rabble rouser" Justin said playful to Susan as he and Zach headed towards the door,

"Wait for me in the hall" Susan instructed

"What why?" Justin asked in alarm as he turned to face Susan

"I...err...need to ask professor Snape a question about my homework grade" Susan lied,

"What's to ask?" Ernie said grabbing Susan's essay and looking at the paper "you got an Outstanding that's a prefect score!"

"Just go will you!" Susan hissed as she shoved Ernie in the middle of his back urging him to go through the door, Ernie was slightly confused at Susan's behaviour, that was until he noticed that professor Snape was sitting quietly at his desk marking the handed homework, now Ernie finally understood,

"No, Susan please don't!"

"Go Ernie" Susan insisted "and take those two with you" Susan nodded towards Justin and Zach who was still waiting at the class room door,

"You're a freak you do know that don't you?" Ernie joked

"And you're a gay!" Susan said smiling presently "now go!"

"Come on" Ernie said as he herded Justin and Zach out of the room both protesting about the abandonment of their female friend. Susan smiled, she and Snape was now finally alone.  
  
"Come on now hurry I don't have all day!" Snape said as he busied himself, with his marking, Susan held her breath as she bit her lower lip, she was still debating whether seducing her professor was a good idea or not, but finally Susan decided that a little recklessness was always good, especially at the start of a relationship. Sturdily Susan stepped forwards and made her way towards her professor, in what she hoped was a very sexy walk, she moved her hips provocatively and straightened her back hoping that her young female form would best be viewed from her Professors position at his desk.

"Here's my homework sir" Susan said as she held her new essay out towards the professor,

"Thank you Miss Bones" Snape said taking the parchment off Susan,

"Susan sir" Susan said as she played with a strand of her hair from her fringe

"Excuse me?" Snape said as he turned to look at the young student in front of him,

"It's Susan, sir, My names Susan"

"What?...Oh yes, I know, thank you Miss Bones" Snape said turning as he took the essay and placed it onto his table, he said nothing more.

"Your welcome" Susan said feeling utterly deflated as she turned towards the door,

"Miss Bones!" Snape called and Susan span round so fast that she thought she would fall over,

"YES!?!" Susan asked excitedly

"You forgot your bag" Snape said his attention still on the work he was grading in front of him, he nodded his head towards Susan's bag still resting on her desk,

"Oh, thank you sir" Susan said her voice cracking she quickly gathered her belongings and as she turned to flee the room feeling completely ridiculous, she paused, Snape had moved from his desk and was standing at the door holding the sixth formers essays in one hand as he held the door open with the other,

"I believe that yours was an excellent assignment Miss Bones" Susan felt light headed, she had always known that Snape wasn't as heartless as everyone made out he was, "I'm pleased to discover that my class isn't filled with as many blundering fools as I first imagined"

"Th-th-thank you sir" Susan blushed as she lowered her head and pulled her bag over her shoulder, Susan's breath froze in her lungs as both she and Snape brushed against each other in the small door frame. Susan's head shot up and for an instance both of their eyes met and Susan smiled sweetly as the usual pallid complexion of Snape's cheeks reddened slightly.

"It was truly the best assignment I've ever read" Snape said as he guided the awe struck Badger out of his class, Susan couldn't speak and before she knew what she was doing she had flung her arms around the potions master and kissed him!

Almost instantly Susan regretted what she had done as she felt her professors body stiffen, and the essays that he carried slipped from his hands and scattered to the floor.

"Miss Bones!" Snape choked as Susan pulled away, both she and Snape was in complete shock, both their eyes where wide and neither professor nor student could look at the other,

"I-I'm-I'm so sorry sir!" Susan cried as she pulled her bag further up her shoulder and fled the potions class. Leaving a still motionless Snape standing in the doorframe of his classroom while his students homework lay at his feet.

Ernie and Zach quickly guided Justin out of the potions lab and into the great hall,

"Why is Susan staying?" Justin asked Ernie for the fifth time in as many seconds, Justin knew perfectly well why Susan would want to be left alone with the freakish teacher that she imagined she fancied, but Justin needed to have his very disturbing thought verified,

"Would you please just bloody tell me, Macmillan!" Justin roared in his anger, drawing a few glances from the neighbouring Gryffindors, including Potter and Weasley as the Badgers passed on their way towards the Hufflepuff table.

"She's ...err...asking the prof about her homework" Ernie lied knowing too well that homework was the last thing on Susan's mind.

"Just relax mate" Zach said reassuringly as he placed his hand on Justin's shoulder "Susan's only after a bit extracurricular activities!"

In any other conversation this slight remark wouldn't have drawn the reaction that it had from Justin, as of course Zach knew it would, Justin's face paled slightly as his eyes widened and the full horror of Zach's words hit him,

"We have to stop her!!!" Justin said his voice slightly higher then normal as he quickly turned fully intent on saving the girl he loved from a fate worst then death!

"Hold on there Superman!" Zach said as he grabbed Justin by the shoulders as the trio drew more attentions to themselves, this time from the teachers who sat at the head table and wanted to make sure that nothing untoward was going on between the three friends,

"Will you three please make up your minds?" Gryffindor's Head of house called across the great hall, as many of her house laughed at the badgers "If you're going then please leave, if not then sit down!"  
  
"Sorry Professor!" Zach called as an apology, which was aimed more to his own head of house for being chastised by McGonagall then to apologise for the boys loitering. Ernie and Zach forced a still protesting Justin into his usual place at the Hufflepuff table as they settled down beside him.

"Let me guess" Hannah said who was sitting in front of the boys surrounded by the first year Cubs "Your talking about Susan?" Hannah disapproved of people who talked about others behind their backs and she especially didn't like it when the person being talked about was one of her best friends.

"Yes!" Justin said a little more firmly then he had intended, Justin hoped that at least Hannah would see things from his point of view, "Do you know what this numbskull has done?!" Justin jabbed his finger at Ernie to emphasis his words as Ernie nearly chocked on his pumpkin juice.

"Shock me?" Hannah said feigning her indifference as the young Cubs begged to be informed of yet more hilarity that was the lives of the sixth formers.

"He" again Justin jabbed his finger at Ernie as he said the word full of venom "Ushered me and Zach out of class, so that Susan could seduce Snape!" Justin his anger finally boiling as he looked at Hannah waiting for her reply

"Really?" Hannah said lightly as the Cubs both gasped and giggled "I hope it does her some good"

"Are you insane!?" Justin cried out loud, as he once again drew the attention of neighbouring students and the teachers at the nearby head table.

"Mr Macmillan!" Professor Sprout hissed at them "Please could you and your friends refrain from raising your voices" Ernie gapped open mouthed at the fact that it had been him who was singled out when he hadn't even said anything.

"Can you believe that?" Ernie protested to Hannah as the cubs giggled, they obviously was loving the entertainment provided at the evening meal.

"Forget you!" Justin hissed harshly as he cast his eyes around at the teachers table seeing no signs of Snape at his usual place besides Dumbledore "What about Susan? Who knows what that monster is doing to her?"

"Fulfilling a young girls dreams hopefully" Hannah said trying hard not to smile as Zach choked on his pumpkin juice and the Ernie and the Cubs laughed as Justin's jaw hit the table surface in his horror.

"H-How can you say that?" Justin gasped in disbelief, Hannah was the nice one out of the five friends, it was Susan that made the shockingly callous comments!  
  
"Look the way I see it" Zach said idly as he refilled his goblet and the young Cubs heads bounced back and forth as they followed the conversation "Is that we should all support our Suzie and help her get this sickness out of her system, and if the only way she can do that is by...."

"Making a complete and utter tit out of herself" Ernie said cheerfully "Then it's got my vote!" Ernie raised his hand to physically show his support for the idea,

"Mine too" Zach said as he half raised his goblet and downed the liquid, as the cubs all agreed and raised their hands too. Much to the further annoyance of both Justin and Professor Sprout.

"You can't be serious about this surely?" Justin begged trying to grasps at his last shred of hope that his friends were playing a very sick joke

"Look the sooner she's over this obsession" Hannah said "The sooner you can ask her out!" Justin and the cubs' heads shot towards Hannah, the cubs eager to hear the promised gossip of the older students and Justin in utter shock at Hannah's words, he hadn't told a living soul about his feelings for Susan.

"W-What?" Justin babbled trying hard to pretend he hadn't a clue what Hannah was talking about,

"Don't kid us?" Zach said as he now filled his plate and the Cubs turned to face him "We know you fancy her!"

"Me?" Justin asked pretending to look bewildered as though the thought had never crossed his mind.

"Oh come off it, mate!" Zach said stabbing his pork chop "We've know you've liked Susan since...since forever"

"Probably for as long as we've knew Susan fancied Snape" Ernie said

"Longer then that" replied Zach as the two friends started to go off on a tangent

"You think?" asked Ernie

"Oh yeah!" Zach replied "defiantly longer then her obsession over freak teach!"

"I actually blame you for her madness" Ernie said as he nodded sagely as though he knew the answers to life itself.

"What? You blame me?" Justin asked feeling utterly disgusted at the idea that he may have driven Susan into the arms of the foulsome potions master.

"May be if you had asked her out before now she wouldn't be needing any extra tuition!" Zach laughed

"Would you stop saying that!" Justin raged

"Ask her out!" Hannah stated

"I don't fancy Susan!" Justin lied again "Besides she's my friend! It would be like dating Zach!"

"What's wrong with me?" Zach asked feeling hurt "I'm good looking!"

"Don't turn this into a conversation all about you!" Hannah begged

"I'm datable right?" Zach asked "Right?"

"I'd date you" Ernie said playfully as he smiled alluringly, winked at his friend and blew him a kiss

"Remind me to move rooms!"

"We were talking about me and my relationship with Susan!" Justin cried in frustration as the first years giggled,

"HA HA!" Zach said eagerly pointing his finger at Justin as he grinned broadly "So you admit it! You do like her!"

"Will you four please control yourselves?" Professor sprout barked from the head table once more warning the sixth formers again for their increase in volume

"Of course I like Susan" Justin whispered through the silence that had now fallen on the group "she's my friend!"

"And that's all?" Hannah asked "You wouldn't want anything else with her right?"

"Right!" Justin lied again

"Not even if she threw herself on you!" Zach asked "No, not even then!" Justin replied, not entirely sure why he was not willing to tell his friends the truth,

"Sure, right, and Dumbledore's my life's partner" Ernie said making his friends cringe and the cubs look slightly baffled.

"Thanks for the imagery weirdo!" Zach said as he dumped his fork onto his plate in disgust,

"Face it Justin we know you like Susan" Hannah said smiling "We've always know"

"I-I don't fancy Susan" Justin lied once more,

"Have it your way mate" Zach said as he picked up his fork and mumbled under his breath "Justin and Susan sitting in a tree"

"Shut up!" Justin snarled as the first years giggled

"K-i-s-s-i-n-g" Ernie chirped

"Firsts comes love-" Hannah continued

"Then comes marriage-" Zach followed

"Then comes Justin with a Baby carriage!!!" the first years sang happily as Hannah, Ernie and Zach all burst out laughing as Justin growled at them all.

"Will you please be quite!!!" hissed Professor Sprout at her Sixth form Badgers as she sat at the teachers table just a few seats away from the headmaster, who raised one bushy eyebrow and smiled to himself

"Will you two for once act your age and be true friends and help me to save Susan!!!" Justin ordered as he glared at Ernie and Zach

"Oh let her be" Zach said as he began to grow annoyed with the conversation

"Susan's a big girl" Hannah said casually "Let her have her fun"

"Their probably already stripped naked in the potions lab in utter ecstasy by now, and I don't think any of us want to walk in on that do we?" Ernie said smiling as he watched the look of horror quickly spread across Justin's face.

"Eewwwww!" the first years chorused a little too loudly

"Will you four please control yourselves?" Professor sprout barked from the head table once more warning the sixth formers for again upsetting the first years, The four friends and the first years instantly fell silent, as the grins and mischievous glints in Ernie's, Zach's and Hannah's eye's twinkled, it was Hannah that broke the silence

"I would imagine that Professor Snape would be a very tender lover" she said as she tried to keep both her face and voice very even, as Ernie, Zach and the cubs all burst out laughing drawing the attention of everyone in the great hall

"ALL RIGHT!" Justin bellowed banging his fist onto the table "I'll admit it! Yes, Yes I do love her!"

Hannah, Ernie and Zach stared at their friend in amazement,

"You love her?" Hannah asked almost immediately her voice slightly shaky

"We just thought it was a crush, you know like Suzie and Snape?" Ernie said

"We didn't know it was something serious!" Zach said as he smiled "You have to tell her now!"

"What?"

"Tell her how you feel!" Hannah urged

"Your insane! She doesn't want me anyway!"

"How would you know you've never asked her?" Ernie said pointing out the obvious

"You owe it to yourself to at least find out!" Hannah prompted as she smiled

"No, if she says no then that's it our friendship would be over"

"So? Make new friends!" Zach said callously "Susan's rubbish at the friend's thing! But a girlfriend now that's what Susan can do!" Zach grinned roguishly

"How the HELL would you know!" Justin roared, drawing another look from his head of house as Dumbledore smiled,

"That's it Mr Macmillan!" Professor Sprout bellowed as the great hall fell silent, Professor Sprout very really raised her voice to any one but when she did it usually meant that you had done something extremely bad

"I have asked you plenty of times this dinner to lower your voice and you have chosen each time to ignore me!"

"But-" Ernie said in complete confusion, as far has he could remember he hadn't raised his voce at all and if he had it had only been once or twice, Justin and Zach had been making most of the noise!

"I don't want any excuses Ernest Macmillan follow me!" Still in a complete state of bewilderment Ernie followed his head of house out of the great hall to whispers and laughs from students of other houses.

It wasn't long after Ernie and professor Sprouts departure that Dumbledore dismissed the students so that they could retire to their house common rooms for the remainder of the evening.  
By now all three remaining Badger sixth formers were beginning to grow concerned for Susan as neither she nor professor Snape had showed up throughout the hour long evening meal.

"I bet their still at it!" Zach said proudly as Justin glared at his soon to be ex-best friend and Hannah said the password to open Hufflepuff's portrait,

"Izzy Wizzy lets get Bizzy"

But as soon as the three friends stepped into the common room all of their faces fell, sitting on her pink inflatable chair at the back of the Hufflepuff common room was Susan, her knees tucked under her chin as she cried onto them, as Ernie sat calmly next to her on the floor rubbing her back and legs.

"What happened?" Hannah asked full of concern as she, Justin and Zach raced towards their friends,

"Sprout gave me a real bad telling off!" Ernie said at his own injustice,

"Not you Dingleberry!" Justin sneered as he quickly knelt next to Susan. Taking Justin by complete surprise Susan stretched out and hugged him tightly as Hannah rubbed her back and Ernie retreated to a safe distance next to Zach.

"What did he do to you Suzie?" Justin asked softly his voice quaking as he thought of the countless possibilities and the hundreds of curses that he would soon be reeking on Snape to avenge Susan's injustice, Susan mumbled something inaudible as she buried her head in Justin's shoulder, he could feel her wet tears trickle down his neck as he held her close and smelled her wonderful fresh smell. Justin promised himself there and then that what ever pain Susan was going through he would ensure that Snape received it tenfold!  
  
Finally after a little coxing from Hannah, Susan was ready to tell her friends everything that had happened, how she had tried to get the professor to call her by her first name, how she had forgotten her bag and how she had brushed against Snape in the potions labs doorway. Susan even told them how she had leapt on Snape and kissed him and how she had also scared herself with her own brashness and how she had ultimately fled the potions class.

"So he didn't do anything to you?" Ernie asked as Susan finally released Justin,

"No!" Susan wailed as though it was the worst possible out come. Justin breathed a sigh of relief but wasn't sure if it was due to the knowledge that Susan had not been molested or due to the fact that he wouldn't have to single his potions master out to a duel that would have ended with Justin's untimely demise.

"I've made a complete idiot of myself!" Susan said her voice thick with tears "Severus is never going to like me after this!"

"WHAT?!?!" Justin, Ernie and Zach all demanded in unison Susan's affections for her teacher obviously hadn't been affected by her resent encounter, in fact Ernie thought as Susan cried as she turned and hugged Hannah and tears rolled freely down Susan's face, the pretty blonde seemed to be even more determined to snag Snape, because of his 'Gentleman like conduct' to the young girls advances.

"Best if we leave" Zach urged the rest of the boys, none of whom disagreed

"S-She will be okay, wont she?" Justin asked his voice still full of concern as he turned to look at Susan who was still crying as more of the female Badgers moved in like magnets being attracted together to comfort Susan and to man bash.

"It's Susan of course she'll be Ok" Zach said not really knowing the truth, he had never seen Susan cry before, she was always the strongest member of the five Badgers

"Yeah she'll be fine" Ernie said "Let her have her cry and you'll see this time tomorrow she'll be back to normal"

"This coming form the guy who thought it was ok to leave her alone with Snape!" Justin scoffed

"She'll be fine!" Ernie reassured his friend

"Are you sure?" Justin asked still unsure

"Yeah!"

"Girls" Zach tutted shaking his head in confusion "I'll never understand them!"

"Same here" Justin said as he shot a glance at a still crying Susan who was now being comforted by twenty other girls

"I'm glad I'm gay!" Ernie sighed "It's far less fuss all around!"

"Right!" Zach said trying not to think about Ernie's comment,

"I don't understand something?" Justin asked as he wondered out loud

"What?" Both Zach and Ernie asked

"Well Susan said she'd been in the common room crying throughout dinner"

"So?" Zach said

"So? What happened to Snape?" Justin wondered

"Hopefuly he died of shock" Ernie said laughing

"That or embarrassment! Either way is good for me!" Zach said smiling as he pictured himself dancing on Snape's grave.


	6. The DA

Chapter 6: - The DA  
  
The day following Susan's terrible ordeal was a Friday and although none of the lessons required Susan to be in the same room as a certain professor, she still however refused to leave her dormitory.  
  
The boys left Hannah at the entrance to her Divination class with Firenze, before they made their way out into the grounds towards Hagrid's hut and their care of magical creatures class. Besides Charms, Care of magical creatures had the largest number of students studying it at NEWT level.  
  
Not only did it usually contain four badger sixth formers but it also consisted of every sixth year Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and most of the Slytherins including Pansy Parkinson, Draco Malfoy and both of the latter's burly bodyguards. The reason for the increase in class size for this class was that Care of magical creatures had been one of the easiest to gain a top level OWL grade in.  
  
Despite the fact that having Hagrid as the professor meant that the students would be in contact with some of the most dangerous animals in the magical world, there had been an influx of students wishing to take the class purely because of the promised easy grade that the teacher would be giving away.  
  
The four houses stood separate from each other outside the small wooden hut as the usual sense of foreboding settled in all students' stomachs as they waited for professor Hagrid to arrive.  
  
In previous lessons this term their huge teacher had the sixth formers studying Doxies, most of the class had received really bad bites and their hands had swollen to the size of beach balls. Draco Malfoy had complained for an entire week that his Quidditch career was over has he would now never be able to catch a snitch ever again, at this Zach, Susan, Ernie, Justin and most of the Gryffindors tried very hard not to laugh and to resist the temptation to point out that Draco had actually never caught the Snitch before so his chances now looked very unlikely. But Madam Pomfrey like always was able to rectify the students problems and deflate their hands in no time and so with the memories of their last lessons safety repressed the thirty odd students stood waiting out on the damp and cold school grounds.  
  
"Gud mornin' class!" Hagrid beamed as he strode out of his hut, like always the half giant professor greeted his favourite house first, Gryffindor, he smiled and nodded at Potter, Weasley and Granger and all four exchanged pleasantries. None of the teachers were supposed to show favouritism to any house, even their own, but that never stopped Hagrid nor Professor Snape from showing where their loyalties lay.  
  
But unlike Snape, Zach, Ernie and Justin liked Hagrid, in previous years when the Hufflepuffs had taken Care of magical creatures with only the Ravenclaws Hagrid always talked to the Badgers more then he had with the Snotty know-it-all Eagles.  
  
"Gud mornin' boys!" Hagrid beamed as he passed the Badgers  
  
"Morning Hagrid" Justin, Zach and Ernie chimed in unison,  
  
"No Susan taday?" Hagrid asked as he cast an eye around at the other students looking for the blonde female badger,  
  
"No" Justin said shaking his head sadly, "She's....err...not feeling too well today"  
  
"Sorry ta hea' that! Giv' her me best" Hagrid said in earnest as he then turned to speak to the rest of the class "This lesson we'll be mostly studying Streeler" Hagrid announced joyfully as the Badgers and the rest of the class tried to stifle their groans, Hagrid continued as though he hadn't noticed,  
  
"Who can tell me what a Streeler is?" Immediately Granger's hand shot into the air as Hagrid turned to listen to her answer.The badgers settled themselves onto the grass knowing they were in for a long stay.  
  
Justin sighed slightly and he massaged his temples he had known what a Streeler was as Care of magical creatures was his favourite lesson but with Granger around he had no chance of being first to answer any of the questions, she had obviously not been perturbed by Draco's remakes in potions the previous day when Susan and Granger had had their show down.  
  
"Right then get into pairs" commanded Hagrid after Granger had finished her long winded speech on the best way to take care of a Streelers.  
  
"Don't touch the slime trail" Ernie said in a mock imitation of Granger's voice "It contains venomous properties that kills vegetation and irritates human skin!"  
  
"I'll tell you what also irritates" Zach said in a low growl "That voice!"  
  
"Fine!" Ernie said in his normal voice "I'll go get our Snail then!"  
  
"What?" Justin asked "Your twos Snail? I don't think so! Me and Zach always work together!"  
  
"Fine" Ernie said smugly as he still walked towards the crate box containing the huge land snails, "But I'd just like to tell you both that I had a Streeler as a pet when I was six"  
  
"I'm working with Ernie!" Zach called as he abounded Justin and headed off towards Ernie  
  
"TRAITOR!!!" Justin called playfully after Zach who affectionately stuck his fingers up at Justin making Ernie laugh,  
  
"You've been ostracised posh boy!" Ernie called grinning as Justin made a very undignified response by sticking his tongue out at him.  
  
"Boys!" called Hagrid his voice sounding very alarmed "W-What's goin' on?"  
  
"Nothing?" Zach said truthfully "We where just playing"  
  
"Well---" Hagrid said as he looked from one Badger to the next his face showing great concern as Draco Malfoy chuckled in the background. Justin knew that Hagrid probably didn't have a clue that the boys had only been playfully messing around with each other, but after so many different accidents and Snide remarks that happened and where made during his classes Hagrid had to show his authority some how.  
  
"Sorry boys but ya goin' ta be split up!"  
  
"But!-" Zach and Ernie pleaded but it was too late Hagrid had set his mind on it, "Ernie you can work with 'Arry, Justin with Padma and Zach you can work with..." Hagrid's huge hairy head turned to look towards the Gryffindors at Ron and Neville.  
  
'Please Merlin not Weasley or Longbottom' Zach thought, as in his eyes both were as bad as each other, Ron because he was on a rival Quidditch team and Neville because he was a blundering idiot. Even Ernie and Justin wasn't happy with their new partners, Ernie loathed Harry Potter in all sense of the word manly because potter was a smug git! And Justin who ordinarily wouldn't have minded partnering a very beautiful young girl didn't really want to partner his beautiful young girl as he didn't want to slip the fact that he was constantly thinking about Susan, especially as Padma was one of Hogwarts' biggest gossips.  
  
"Zach" Hagrid finally said "You can partner Pansy!" Pansy Parkinson smiled shyly as Draco Malfoy protested very loudly at the thought of the fragile Pansy working with...,  
  
"A Mud--Badger!" Draco called quickly controlling himself "Pansy hasn't done anything to deserve that as a punishment!" But Draco was the only one protesting as Pansy lead Zach towards the Streeler box to collect their Snail for the class.  
  
The rest of Hagrid's lesson was passed in quiet, the sixth formers lay on the grass watching the Streelers move silently across the lawn as the grass withered and died in the wake of their slimy silvery trails, as the six formers drew the large snails and made notes about them from their subdued monster book of monsters.  
  
Ernie who was now partnering Harry Potter laid a little distance from the rest of the class as Potter had wanted to lay in the shade of the over hanging trees by Hagrid's hut. Zach had wolf whistled very loudly when he had seen the pair heading off from the main group, Ernie was just grateful that Pansy had quickly steered Zach away before he said anything about Ernie's chosen lifestyle that could have ruined his life at Hogwarts forever.  
  
Ernie and Potter settled themselves onto the grass with their Snail and started the task in complete silence, Ernie guessed that Potter was just as unhappy about Hagrid's choice of partnering as he was. And so the two boys lay in silence as they drew.  
  
"We're meeting tonight" Potter hissed in Ernie's ear making the Badger jump with a start and coursing the quill that Ernie was using to draw with race across his immaculate image of his snail.  
  
"What?" Ernie asked furiously but Potter shushed him,  
  
"I've been trying to find an opportunity all class" Potter said as he cast his eye around at the nearest students, Draco Malfoy and Blasé Zabini, both were busy criticizing Hagrid's lesson in very loud voices.  
  
"The DA's meeting tonight" Potter said quickly as he leaned into Ernie as he pretended to be looking at Ernie's drawing, "Check your coins for the time"  
  
"Okay....?" Ernie said slightly stunned "But I thought that the meetings had been stopped after last year?"  
  
"You'll find out more tonight, the usual place, just check your coins" Potter said quickly and with that the class ended. Hagrid called for the Streelers to be returned to their box and the students headed up to the great hall for lunch.  
  
Ernie rejoined Zach and Justin and followed behind them as they walked back towards the castle, he didn't know why Potter had insisted on telling him about the meetings during class when there had been plenty of opportunities during the day when the Badgers had been alone. Or even why Potter had chosen to tell him above the others.  
  
"It's cos he fancies you, That's why!" Zach said nonchalantly, it was a running theme with Zach to insult all his opposition.  
  
"Shut up!" Ernie said as the boys reached the great hall and sat down next to Hannah at the Hufflepuff table (Susan still refused to leave her dormitory) "the main point I'm trying to make is what are we going to do?"  
  
"Do about what?" Hannah asked  
  
"Potter's starting up the DA" Justin informed their fellow sixth former "Do we go or not?"  
  
"We go!" Hannah said flatly "We're badgers it's expected of us!"  
  
"Now that that's resolved" Zach said eyeing up the food in front of him "lets move on to the important things!"  
  
"Like what?" Ernie asked  
  
"Shall I have the fish or the beef?"  
  
"I don't understand why?" Susan hissed as Hannah and Ernie forcefully dragged her up the marble staircase, "We've a half decent defence against the dark arts teacher this year why does he want to start his silly club up again?"  
  
"Ours is not to reason why!" Justin chorused over his shoulder as he walked a little way in front of his friends supposedly keeping a look out for Filch, his cat or any teacher that was taking a midnight stroll around the castle.  
  
"Potter told us to come so we're going!" Zach said as he slapped Susan's bum forcing her into quick run up the stairs as she squeaked in protest and Justin glared at his room mate and soon to be ex-best friend.  
  
It had been very late when the badgers DA coins began to glow, all the other years had drifted off to bed hours ago and apart from the five sixth formers the common room had been deserted. Even the five friends were ready to call it a night when finally, just after midnight all their coins glowed violently informing them of the time that the meeting would start.  
  
"Finally!" Zach had hissed jumping up out from his much loved settee and stretching. Uncharacteristically Zach was very willing to go to the DA meeting, not because he believed that Harry was a good teacher or that he wanted to learn more spells, but because most of Zach's rival Quidditch team players would be there and Zach wasn't willing to miss any opportunity of putting any of them out of commission through any readily waiting 'accident'.  
  
Susan on the other hand wasn't as willing as Zach to go to the meeting, for the past day and a half she had refused to leave her dormitory, and Hannah had reported to the boys that Susan had cried continuously throughout the night, it had taken much persuasion on Hannah and the first year girl cubs part to convince Susan that news of her foolish actions with a certain teacher hadn't been made common knowledge throughout the school, and then Susan only wished to join her friends in the common room. And so it was that for Susan own good her friends where now forcing to go to the DA meeting.  
  
"Just baby steps" Hannah kept repeating under her breath to her best female friend "First the DA meeting and then tomorrow and Sunday you go to meals and by Monday you'll soon be back to normal"  
  
"As normal as Suzie could ever be!" Ernie laughed as the Small group of Badgers quickly headed onto the main landing towards the room of requirements.  
  
Like the nights last year when the Badgers had been party to the then illegal club, the Badgers hurried quickly towards their goal praying that Filch and his malicious moggy was now where nearby. The five friends hurried down the corridor and breathlessly they pushed the door to the meeting room open. Potter, Granger, Weasley and a number of other Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students waited inside the strangely decorated room.  
  
"Finally!" Potter said as he saw who had entered the room, "hurry up and sit down Hermoine's speaking!" The Badgers hurried to the nearest seats as the eyes of all the students followed them.  
  
"Thank you" Granger said her voice sounding very tart as she stood at the front of the room and all eyes returned to her "As I was saying before I was interrupted-" Justin coughed in disbelief as he glared at Granger and her choice of words. Granted the badgers had interrupted her but only ten minutes had passed from the badgers coins glowing and their arrival at the meeting room, what had she expect that they could simply apparate to her every beck-and-call?  
  
"The reason that we have decided to call for the DA meetings to begin again is that we-" Granger cast her hand towards Potter and Weasley, "-believe that the huge success of DA members O.W.L's over the summer shows that Harry and his teachings are doing us all some good, not just in defence but also by building the friendship between our houses, that is why we believe that despite the fact that madam Lossless is quite competent at the subject of Defence against the dark arts, we still believe that the DA can provide a vital necessity to all Hogwarts students"  
  
The badgers watch in silence as the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors nodded their heads vigorously, Parvita and Lavander looking like the small wobbly headed dogs in the back of Muggle automobiles.  
  
"We also think that this bond between our houses should be strengthened this year" Granger continued "After all, the Sorting hat has stated for the second year in a row that all Hogwarts houses should combine forces!-" Again more heads nodded as the students all agreed with Granger. "-In that case we urge you to try to encourage as many of your house mates to join us as possible, no matter what year they are in as we believe that the DA would be beneficial to everyone that is willing to learn from Harry"  
  
"What about the Slytherins?" Hannah asked timidly she always hated speaking up in front of large groups of people.  
  
"What about them?" Granger said dismissively  
  
"I can't see Draco Malfoy wanting to participate in anything that we do anyway!" Seamus Finnegan called across the room  
  
"Ok then if we're all decided that the lesson should go ahead" Granger beamed as she continued as though no one had spoken "we'll let you know when the next meeting will be is there any days that we can not do?"  
  
"No Fridays" Cho Chang called "That's the day that Roger has booked the Quidditch pitch for Ravenclaws team practises  
  
"Well that puts Monday out as well" Ron said proudly "Me, Harry and Ginny will be at practice that evening"  
  
"Well what about Tuesdays?" Dean offered "The Slytherins have the pitched booked then don't they?"  
  
"No!" Zach said indignantly "that's the day Huff's scheduled our Quidditch practises"  
  
"Why bother!" Seamus said "You may as well just concede all you matches it'll save yourselves the embarrassment of losing another year!"  
  
"Thanks!" Zach said through gritted teeth as the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors all laughed as Hannah patted him gently on the back, clearing her throat and stated,  
  
"Wednesday is when the Slytherins have their team practises we could hold the meeting then!" there was a mummer of agreement throughout the room,  
  
"No we can't" Harry said softly looking slightly uncomfortable,  
  
"And why not?" Justin asked "No other clubs run that night!"  
  
"I'm just not available on Wednesdays, Ok!" Harry said meekly but Justin wasn't about to let the subject drop  
  
"Why? Can't you rearrange what you've got planned? Seeing how everyone else will be free!"  
  
"No I can't!" Harry said reluctantly "I've.....I've got remedial potions"  
  
"What?" some of the students asked "So early in the term?!?!?"  
  
"Remedial potions!" Justin heard Susan utter under her breath, her voice slightly choked with tears  
  
"Try not to think of it!" Justin heard Hannah whispered quickly as she rubbed Susan's arm as Susan tried to quickly dry her eyes and not think about the solitary hours of privet tuition with Snape in his office. 


	7. Diminishing faith

**Chapter 7: -** Diminishing faith  
  
"Can you believe that lot?" Zach raged as he and the rest of the Hufflepuff sixth formers climbed into their common room after the first DA meeting had been dismissed, "You may as well just concede all your matches it'll save yourselves the embarrassment of losing another year" Zach barked in a very fake and stereotyped Irish accent.  
  
"Forget about it" Hannah said trying to be the voice of reason "You're a good Quidditch player and you'll be a good captain this year too" Hannah was beginning to wish that she hadn't told the others that they had to attend Potters DA meeting, all five friends where now sporting very bad moods,  
  
"Those Gryffindors get me so riled!" Justin grumbled as he sat down in his favourite chair as Susan settled herself next to him in her pink inflatable chair with a squeak. Justin still hadn't recovered from Granger's audacity of expecting that the badgers should have been able to have gotten to the meeting place in less than ten minutes! And he couldn't believe how presuppose she had been by suggesting that the DA lessons of last year had greatly improved all of their OWL grades. Justin, even though he knew the last statement had some truth to it, just didn't like how Granger had said it, almost as though she believed that none of them would have passed their defence against the dark arts exam under their of merit. Slowly Justin was beginning to see why Susan disliked Granger so much, it wasn't because Susan was jealous of how intelligent Granger was, has Justin had always thought it was, it was simpler then that, Justin now saw that Susan had always disliked Granger because Granger was an insufferable know it all, and she never relented from showing off how clever she was.  
  
"I'll show that Finnegan" Zach continued as he flopped onto the leather sofa next to Ernie and dragged his hands through his hair. Zach was still fuming at the jibe that Seamus Finnegan had said about the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, His Quidditch team! The team that he had devoted two years of his academic life too, the team that as of this year he was captaining, it felt like someone had ripped out his guts. 'No one made fun of his team apart from himself' Zach thought  
  
"I'll show him! I'll show him!" Zach mumbled under his breath  
  
"Now your just talking crazy" Ernie said dryly as he patted Zach on the arm "Face it mate we've never won the Quidditch cup and we never will, you even said it yourself at the start of term, if Potter is playing then we don't have any chance of winning"  
  
"Typical us really then isn't it" Susan said softly her tone now was very pessimistic, Susan's mood had changed drastically over the past few days, no longer the bold and vivacious girl that she had been before her close encounter with Snape, now she was beginning to be very withdrawn and unenthusiastic about most things. Justin suspected that despite the badgers best intentions, dragging Suzan out of the safety of the common room before she was willing to face the world again hadn't help Susan one iota.  
  
"We're all a bunch of jokers," Susan continued "A house full of losers, wraths and strays; we never get anything that we want! Hufflepuff house is the joke of the school!" All the friends stared at Susan open mouthed, granted they had all at one time thought this very thing but having one of their own, who was not at the time being threatened by a hex by Draco Malfoy say the words out loud was very unsettling.  
  
"We're not seen as jokers!" Hannah protested but Susan dismissed her as she laughed dryly  
  
"Oh please you heard what Granger and the others said when you suggested that we invite the Slytherins-" Susan continued but Hannah cut her off,  
  
"It was a silly suggestion Suzie!" Hannah protested  
  
"No it wasn't a silly suggestion, Han!" Susan suddenly raged as with great difficulty she stood up from her chair "Granger keeps prattling on about how the Sorting hat insists that the houses should band together but she seems so willing to forget that there are four houses at this school-"  
  
"The Slytherins are all sanctimonious gits! They wouldn't be welcomed even if they did join the DA! Not like they would want to!" Ernie scoffed  
  
"Not all of them are self-righteous idiots!" Zach protested loudly suddenly brought out of his stupor about Seamus Finnegan's words "Some of them are actually quite nice!"  
  
"Nice! You've obviously never been on the welcoming end of one of Draco or Blas's bat bogie hexes or leg locker charms!" Scoffed Ernie as he turned on Zach his voice loud and heated "I guess you obviously mean nice in the way that would describe Grindelwald as being nice? By those standards I guess you think that You-know-who is just simply misunderstood!?!"  
  
"ERNIE!!!" Hannah yelled in shock "That's just an awful thing to say!"  
  
"Awful!?" Ernie retorted heatedly as he quickly turned to look at Hannah sitting on the arm of the sofa to his left "It was supposed to be! You don't really think that Draco Malfoy and his lot would really want to be part of the DA? And you can't really say that you'd want them to be waving wands and learning stunning charms while you're standing in casting distance of would you?"  
  
"Ernie does have a point Susan" Hannah said softly "See, Granger and the others where right, it was a silly idea"  
  
"I disagree" Susan said loudly "Zach's right, not all Slytherins are bad-"  
  
"Why because you think Snape refused your advances in a gentleman like manner?" Ernie yelled at Susan as he cut across her and every one stared at him in disbelief  
  
"ERNIE!!!" Justin yelled as he leaped from his chair as Susan gasped. No one had mentioned what had happened down in the dungeons between Susan and Snape since the previous day and Susan was having a hard enough time beating herself up about what had happened without one of her best fiends taking a shot at her, or so Justin thought as he jumped to save the honour of the girl that he secretly loved.  
  
"Oh shut up you pompous pillock!" Susan raged as she turned on Justin, knocking him for six with her words, Susan had never spoken to Justin like that before! No one had ever spoken to Justin like that before!  
  
"You're thinking exactly the same as he is; I bet you all are!" Susan spat heatedly at them all "You know why Hufflepuff is considered weak and pathetic? It's because we're not willing to take a chance! Because we'd rather follow in other people's footsteps then blaze our own paths! That's why Hufflepuff hasn't won anything, why we're always thought of as the safe dependable house, the house which every other house will always win over! Cedric knew this and he wanted to change that persona. He was the bravest badger that this house has ever seen; Cedric wasn't scared of putting his name in that goblet even though he didn't know what he'd face! Cedric wasn't going to sit back when he saw glory was within his grasp, he loved being a badger and he was willing to show everyone that a badger is more then they all think we are! That's what he meant that day in the common room! That's what he said we didn't understand! And he was right! We shouldn't settle for last place we shouldn't sit back and take what life throws at us! We should be willing to fight for what we want and when opportunities arise we should grab them with both hands! That's what I did with Severus! And even if he hates me for the rest of my life and even if I have to hide in my dorm until graduation next year at least I'll know that I at lest tried which is more then can be said for you lot!"  
  
With that Susan stormed out of the common room and into the passageway leading towards the girls dormitories. Justin, Zach, Ernie and Hannah stared at Susan's back as she disappeared, all of them speechless, stunned into shock by what their friend had said  
  
"Cedric would turn in his grave if he heard us all arguing like this!" Hannah said softly as she slid onto the sofa seat shared with Ernie  
  
Justin collapsed back into his high back winged chair, he was more stunned then the others at Susan's words, it felt like she had slapped him around the face, slowly Justin became aware the others eyes had shifted from the girls dormitory door and where now fixed firmly on himself. Raising his head slightly he looked at his friends and he knew that they where all thinking the exact same thing.  
  
'What had happened to them?'  
  
Never in all their time at Hogwarts had they had an argument between themselves that had left them feeling this awful. Like most friends they all had disagreements but they never progressed any further then a few name callings and a few harsh words between one or two of them. What had happened tonight was nothing short of brutal. They had all felt hurt and humiliated by the other DA members and they had lashed out at each other.  
  
"What's happening to us?" Ernie asked voicing what they all thought, his head was hung low and he was shaking it, trying to remember how this had all begin, why he had lashed out at Susan and the others in the first place, it wasn't like she or they had said anything personal about him!  
  
"Things have got to change" Zach said "We can't keep going on like this"  
  
"Susan's right though isn't she" Hannah said dejectedly "The sorting hat was right too, we are seen a bunch of jokes and losers, the house that everyone can win over!"  
  
No one spoke, Hannah's words hung in the air like a heavy weight, they where the words that the sorting hat had spoken at the beginning of term, and just like then those words hurt.  
  
'Sticks and stones' Justin thought as he sat in his chair the shadow of its winged sides obscuring his face, the words that his father had told him on so many occasions as a very young boy racing through his mind. And how those simple words could but so wrong, true Sticks and stones could break your bones, but more often then not words could tear you apart.  
  
"I'm off to bed" Hannah said quietly as she stood up she could feel her eyes growing moist and her head was beginning to pound as she felt a headache forming. There wasn't any point in staying in the common room, all the words that had needed to be said had been said and more besides. It was pointless to drag the silence out to an excruciating length and so preferring to keep her emotions under control until the privacy of her own dorm, where she knew Susan would also be in fits of tears, Hannah too left the common room.  
  
Soon after Hannah's departure Ernie and Zach retired to their dorms, the boys where much less emotional, Zach felt like he was dead inside, he felt numb and hollow; he knew that finally after almost six years of friendship the six formers had reached the very lowest point of their relationship. Ernie retired feeling pretty much the same as Zach, but the thoughts that ran though Ernie's mind where all about why he had said the things he had? Ernie and Susan were as close as two friends could be; they had known each other before Hogwarts as both their pureblood families were very close in both friendships and in location. Ernie and Susan had grown up together, they had been childhood friends, they had both struggled through their childhoods together through both the happy times and times filled with grief and pain, Susan's filled with more of the latter then anyone else that Ernie had ever known. They had received their Hogwarts letters on the same day and they both knew that even at the tender age of eleven that no matter which house they were sorted into they would always remain firm friends. Susan had been the first person Ernie had told about his preferred sexuality and Susan had first confided in Ernie her feelings about their loathsome potions master.  
  
Ernie and Susan had been through so much together that Ernie still couldn't understand why he had turned on her so maliciously as he had done, he lay awake until the small hours of the morning trying to work out why the fight had happened. He knew that realistically it had probably been in the making for a while now and that the DA meeting had merely been the ignition that had fuelled the six formers already large pile of kindling. But as Ernie lay in bed staring at the lurid yellow hangings around his four poster he knew that there was truth in every word that had been said that night. Ernie stifled a sigh as he realised that heated words from beloved friends could hurt more the any jinx cast by Draco Malfoy, Ernie had know that mentioning Snape would have upset Susan in her still delicate state but yet he had said what he had said and without the aid of a time turner he would never be able to take those words back, same as the words that had also been said to Hannah, Zach and Justin.  
  
Ernie wasn't the only Badger that couldn't sleep; Justin sat in his chair all through the night raking his brains over the past few hours he finally realised that Zach was right, things had to change and they had to change soon before their diminishing faith spread and all the hufflepuff's lost their faith and pride in their house. But most importantly things had to change before five friends decided to lay to rest a friendship that had kept them together for over five years. 


	8. The maddening

**Chapter 8: - The maddening**

The following days were the worst days in Justin's life at Hogwarts; they were even worse then the days preceding his petrifaction in his second year. _'At least then'_ Justin thought as he entered the great hall on the morning after the night of the fight _'The others had been on his side as friends to support him and to laugh at the ridiculousness of his situation'_. But now, now everything was changing, and the ill feeling that the sixth formers had had for each other and for the other houses the night before seemed to be as strong as ever and as Justin looked around the hall that ill will already seemed to spreading. The younger members of Hufflepuff house, the second and third years, where gathered the furthest away from the other sixth formers that where already seated at the Hufflepuff table who where all deathly quite and the final years had quite literally separated themselves from the rest of the house by a gap of four feet at the table where no one else sat.

Justin moved down the gap between the tables and tried to ignore the stairs that he receive from the younger years, many of whom where still crowded around the entrance door unsure where they should sit.

"Hurry up and sit down" Professor Sprout called to the youngeryearsas she stood from the teachers table and fearing the eyes of the rest of the school the younger badgers hurried to find places at their table.

Justin settled himself opposite Ernie, Zach and Hannah, Susan was still obviously refusing to be seen out in the general public. Justin's usual place was occupied by one of the first year cubs, Patience Reinhold, her fellow cubs, Mary Creevey, Edwina Cadwallader, Kevin Kettleburn and Dillon Forsyth where sat around her and Justin knew that Hannah was still keeping up the pretence that all was well with the sixth formers by showing that she and Ernie where still performing their prefect duties. But all wasn't well, the tension between Justin and his friends could have been cut with a knife, the other badgers tried their hardest to pretend that they where ignoring the sixth formers but as breakfast progressed most gave up that pretence and openly stared at them. Justin wished he could be petrified once more, had their argument the previous night been that loud that all of Hufflepuff had heard?

As the other three houses chatted and laughed and made plans for their weekend, every member of Hufflepuff remained quite, the third year girls didn't giggle, the first years didn't ask any silly questions and none of the fifth or final years complained about their work load, but suddenly and a tiny voice spoke, it was clear and full of determination,

"You're a bad person" the voice said and turning Justin saw that the voice belonged to little Patience Reinhold, Patience rarely ever spoke to anyone and hearing her soft dreamy voice speak to him so critically came as a bit of a shock. Patience's words had scarcely registered inside Justin's head as a wave of agreement surged through the female house members at the table,

"Yeah you're mean!" Eddie Cadwallader barked as Mary Creevey and many other girls nodded vigorously all of them looking at him very seriously.

"What?....I-I didn't do anything!"

"You made Susan cry" Patience continued "That was bad! You're a bad person"

Justin looked towards Zach, Ernie and Hannah but none of them would meet his eyes,

"But I didn't do anything?" Justin said feebly his heart breaking at the thought that he had somehow coursed Susan even more pain "Ernie was the one that was yelling at her, not me, I was defending her" this time Hannah met his gaze,

"In Susan's mind we're all guilty" she said softly "Ernie's out burst she could handle-"

"It's almost expect of me isn't?" Ernie interjected "Susan and me have always fought, we've all always fought"

"I think that she understands us…but you-" Hannah continued "your always watching aren't you? Watching and waiting, you see everything and yet you share nothing" Justin got the impression that Hannah wasn't talking solely about Susan anymore.

"I didn't do anything wrong!" Justin said heatedly as he stood up pushing his barely touched food away "I refuse to be held accountable for something I didn't do!" and with that he left the great hall to whispers and gasps from the other students.

Justin fully intended on returning to Hufflepuff common room but as he walked down the dark corridor that led to the portrait Justin knew that he would never get any peace to think in there, especially seeing how it was Saturday. The younger years would be playing loud games and the fifth and final years would be yelling for quite as they tried to study, the third year girls would be giggling and Zach as captain of the house Quidditch team would be holding his first meeting of the year. Justin turned on his heels he didn't really know where he would head to, nowhere in Hogwarts was fun without company, but just as he passed the large painting of the fruit basket that led to the kitchens the foot steps of the students leaving the great hall could be heard. Not wanting a confrontation with any of his fellow housemates Justin stretched out his hand and tickled the pear in the painting, which, has it had done on a hundred different occasions for him and every member of Hufflepuff house, it turned into a door knob. Justin pulled the door open and disappeared inside just as the first students entered the dimly lit corridor.

The kitchens where as dimly lit as usual, being underground and located under the centre of the castle meant that all light that was in the room came from candles and the large ovens and massive open fire, The latter providing most of the light. Justin headed down the small steps into the main body of the kitchens as house elves hurried to enquire if he was hungry or thirsty but as Justin struggled to explain that he desired nothing to eat or drink a figure at the very end of one of the large tables caught his eyes.

"Susan?" Justin said under his breath in complete puzzlement as he instantly recognised the figure.

"Sir knows the young miss?" Asked an elf with a very squeaky voice and a pile of woollen tea cosies on its head

"She's my friend" Justin replied as he headed towards Susan

"Has sir come to help miss? She's been here a very long time, since before breakfast, very upset miss has been, Crying she has sir", the elf said still following Justin up the spaces between the other long tables that where positioned immediately below the house tables in the great hall

"Susan" Justin called softly as he walked towards her "What are you doing here?"

"Justin?" Susan's voice said sounding very weak and distant as she slowly raised her head to look athim "You look terrible" Justin thought that this was rich coming from Susan, who ordinarily was very pretty but now, now she looked very different, almost dishevelled. Her hair, usually so tidy and neat was a mess, her makeup looked to be two days old and it had been obvious that she had been crying for a very long time. As mascara streaked her cheeks and her eyes where red and swollen, she was still dressed in her previous days robes and she looked a very sorry state.

"Susan what are you doing here?" Justin asked again but this time much more cautiously "Have you eaten? Have you even slept?"

"It's where he sits" Susan said softly almost as though she hadn't even heard Justin speak, instead she gently moved a hand up and down the arms of the chair she was seated in, "He eats here, right here" Susan continued as she lifted her head and looked up at the ceiling and then Justin understood, the table was in the exact position that the teachers table was and the chair, Justin didn't have to be the second highest grading student in the school to know that that particular chair was exactly below Professor Snape's in the great hall immediately above them.

"Is he keeping well?" she asked Justin as though this had been a conversation that they both where party to,

"Susan" Justin said trying to keep the concern from his voice as his heart hurt even more "What are you doing here? You're not making any sense"

"You never understood did you?" Susan wept as fresh tears poured down her face "Everyone thought I was mad for liking him, but he's just like me really isn't he? No one really understands, no one" Justin watched as the woman that he admired for her strength and endurance dissolved before his eyes, tears poured down her red burning cheeks and she drew her keens up under her chin and wept as she rocked slightly back and forth.

"S-Susan" Justin spoke gently as he slowly moved closer and raised his hand to Susan's face removing a strand of blond hair that was obscuring her features, Justin struggled to hold back the tears himself as watched Susan cry and gently rocking,

"What's happening to us?" Justin asked himself out loud "What was happening to us all?"

"Begging your pardon sir" Squeaked the house elf with the woollen tea cosies on its head, "But is miss quite all right?"

"Look after her will you?" Justin asked the elf urgently as he removed his outer robes and wrapped them around Susan "I'll be back soon" with that Justin hurried from the kitchen and bolted back down the corridor towards the portrait of Helga Hufflepuff.

"Izzy Wizzy lets get Bizzy" Justin yelled the password at the docile painting as the badger cub in Helga's arms wriggled its nose as the painting slided upwards and he quickly climbed inside. Inside the common room Justin couldn't see the other sixth formers anywhere but just as he was about to turn and head back out he spotted the first year cubs playing wizards chess in the corner of the room,

"Cubs!" Justin called as he made his way towards them causing a string of profanities from the fourth year boys who where playing Gobstones right in Justin's path. "Where's Hannah, Ernie and Zach?"

The cubs stared at him and Justin found it hard to ignore Patience's huge round eyes glaring critically up at him like they had in the great hall only a few minutes previously

"Your bad" Patience said once more as she repeated the words she had said at breakfast in the same airy voice and despite Justin's urgency he couldn't help but think that given time Patience would be giving Luna Lovegood a run for her money for most weirdest student.

"Yes I know, we established that at breakfast" Justin said impatiently to Patience

"Zach's taken the Quidditch team to the pitch for a training session" Edwina said bitterly

"Hannah is handing in her Muggle studies homework" Kevin interjected

"And Ernie's in his dorm" said Dillon

"He said that under no circumstance is he to be disturbed" Mary informed them all

Justin raised an eyebrow at this, quickly thanked the cubs and hurried towards the dormitories followed by yet more insults and vulgarities from the Gobstoners.

"Ernie!" Justin yelled as he ran down the short corridor to their shared dormitory and pulled open the door,

"Damnit I said don't disturb me!" Ernie growled until he saw that it was Justin who had entered the room "Oh it's you, I've got nothing more to say to you Justin" Ernie said hiding his face behind the book that he was reading "We discussed all that had to be said last night and this morning"

"Fine, I don't care" Justin lied "but we both care about Susan don't we?"

"Of course!" Ernie said in a tone that indicated that that was obvious

"Something's wrong with her, she needs help" Justin said pulling the Quidditch book out of Ernie's hands,

"What's wrong?" Ernie asked as he jumped off his bed "Is she hurt? Where is she?"

"She's in the kitchens" with that Justin and Ernie raced back into the common room, and across to the portrait hole which was already sliding upwards to revel Hannah as she was just stepping inside,

"Han!" Ernie called as he grabbed hold of her arm "Justin says Susan's is in trouble" and without waiting for comprehension to dawn for Hannah Ernie and Justin pulled her back out into the corridor and hurried back to the kitchen's.

"She isn't well" Justin told Hannah as they entered the kitchens and they all headed up to where Susan was still sitting, crying softly and rocking back and forth,

"Oh, Susan" Hannah said her voice hushed and tearful as she moved closer and pulled Justin's robes tightly around her friend,

"Should we fetch Madam Pomfrey" Ernie asked her, his voice barely above a deathly whisper.

"No, fetch Zach first; he'd want to be here"

"I'll go" Ernie said as he quickly backed away

"I'll get him" Justin said hurriedly to Ernie as he grabbed hold of Ernie's arm "Please, I need to, otherwise I'll go mad" Ernie turned once to look back at Susan as Hannah gently held her still both girls looking very pale and total disappear showed in Hannah's eyes, Ernie knew that despite his own love and want to help Susan Justin's heart was probably breaking.

"Go" Ernie said and before the words had even left his month Justin raced out of the kitchens with a small troop of elves following him asking if he was hungry. Justin ran out into the entrance hall and yelled at a group of Ravenclaw fifth years that where grouped around the huge main doors to get out of his way, narrowly missing them Justin ran out into the sunlight of the grounds and pelted across the soft damp grass towards the Quidditch pitch, his feet slipped out from under him twice but Justin nether noticed or cared, picking himself up he continued his headlong run down the slight incline to the stadium. Justin's heart was pounding in his chest as he raced towards the entrance of the stadium and across the small bridge that led under the stands and out onto the Quidditch field.

"Get out of the way!" Justin called to Pansy Parkinson who was hiding in the entrance tunnel and she quickly moved to one side to let him pass, _'Another one of Draco Malfoy's attempt to scout out the badgers playing quality'_ Justin thought as he raced passed onto the field to see that the Hufflepuff team where all up in the air.

"ZACH!" Justin yelled as he ran to the centre of the pitch finding that from his running he could hardly breathe "Z-ZACH COME DOWN!"

"What do you want Finch-Fletchley" Zach called down angrily as he hovered his broom ten feet above Justin's head

"I'm- I'm not g-going to start arguing with you Zach" Justin called as he clutched a stitch in his side and panted heavily "It's-It's Susan she's not well!" at Justin's words Zach immediately landed yelling to his team that practice was over and then pulled Justin onto his broom yelling for him to hold on and without any further explanation to the rest of the his team they shot off through the tunnel, Pansy squealed as she ducked out of their way. In a fraction of the time it had taken Justin to cross the grounds they where already back at the entrance hall where Zach landed and he and Justin dismounted.

"What happened?" Zach asked urgently as Justin led him to the kitchens and he explained all that he had seen and heard Susan do.

"She's gone insane hasn't she?" Zach said almost in awe as he and Justin entered the kitchens and the house elves hurried to offer food. Ignoring the elves Justin and Zach headed towards Hannah and Ernie who where sitting around Susan "I heard that unrequited love can do that!" Zach finished

"If it can you're living proof!" Ernie sneered

"Stop being silly, both of you!" Hannah chastised them both "its just exhaustion that's all. She hasn't slept for almost three nights and she has been crying ever since…well...**it** happened. Also dragging her to that stupid DA meeting and us fighting didn't help" Hannah grumbled, Ernie didn't feel like it was the right moment to point out that it had been Hannah's idea to make Susan go to the DA meeting in the first place and so he held his tongue.

"Are you sure she isn't as mad as a Fwooper keeper? Ernie found himself saying instead, sounding as worried as all the others felt "We should fetch Madam Pomfrey?"

"What and have Susan carted off to St Mungos, no way!" Zach said defensively

"She isn't insane Zach" Hannah said testily her patients waning "she isn't going to be carted off anywhere"

"But we need to do something" Justin urged as he looked down at the now motionless Susan whose eyes where staring off into the distance as though she could see right through the walls,

"What she needs" Hannah said knowledgably "Is sleep and plenty of it"

"We can't take her back to her own bed, not through the common room it's full" Justin said almost despairingly as he thought of the reactions that the other housemates would have at seeing the sixth formers carry the very dishevelled Susan to hers and Hannah's room.

"Justin use your head, she's never going to get to sleep naturally" Hannah told them, her voice indicating that this was obvious "We need a sleeping draught"

"We have to go to Pomfrey" Ernie repeated "She's the only one that has sleeping draughts"

"We can't!" Hannah said despairingly "I keep telling you! We can't take her to the teachers they'll want to know how she got like this and think how Suzie will feel afterwards, if we've told anyone about what happened?"

"At least she will feel something afterwards!" Justin raged "What would you have us do nurse her back on our own? What if it's more serious that you think? And where will we get a sleeping draught if we don't go to Pomfrey? And even if we do getone how much do we give her? What if we give her too much? We could kill her not cure her!"

"She needs sleep, Justin" Hannah said softly her patients back in spite of Justin rage "That's all; I'd even stake Ern's life on it"

"Thanks" Ernie muttered not at all pleased with Hannah's pledge,

"And there's no possibility that we'll give her too much of the draught because your here" Hannah smiled meekly at Justin "You're the second cleverest student in our year, Justin, you know all there is to know about potions"

"Fine" Justin said reluctantly he still believed that they should make Madam Pomfrey aware of Susan's predicament but Justin knew when he was slowly being unanimously out voted.

"All we need then is a sleeping draught" Ernie said "Pomfrey's the only one who has any-"

"No she isn't" Zach said as a small smile crept onto his features and a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes "You remember those three full days of detentions I had at the start of term?"

"Because you called Snape a son of a -" Ernie reminded them all as Susan stirred slightly at the sound of the potion teachers name, and the four friends looked down at Susan in concern,

"Don't say his name out loud!" Hannah rebuked her voice barely above a hiss

"Well S-N-A-P-E had me re-labelling all the ingredients and potions in his personal store" Zach grinned "He has a whole flagon of sleeping draught"

"You want us to steal from Snape!" Ernie cried and Susan began crying once more and struggling against Hannah who fought to keep her friend seated in her chair as Susan proclaimed that she had to find the potions master, that she had to make amends with the man she loved.

"Stop saying his name!" Hannah spat and as Justin watched Hannah and Susan struggling against each other Justin had finally made his decision. He was going to turn thief.

"Where are you going?" Zach called as Justin, his mind made up turned and headed towards the kitchens doors

"Where do you think?" Justin called over his shoulder "The greasy git's personal store"

"Not without me your not!" Zach called gleefully as he hurried after Justin leaving Hannah and Ernie to sooth the still crying and struggling Susan.

The boys left the kitchens at a run but slowed to a brisk walk as they entered the entrance hall as neither of them wanted to draw any unnecessary attention to themselves despite the fact that the entrance hall was almost deserted, besides Justin and Zach the only other person in the entrance hall was Pansy Parkinson who headed down the stairs to the dungeons and had obviously only arrived back from her visit to the Quidditch pitch.

"She was spying on our team" Justin whispered as he and Zach slowed their pace allowing the gap between them and Pansy to lengthen before they too headed down towards the dungeons.

"I know" Zach said a large grin on his face "She used to do it last year too, Draco's spy we call her"

"Why is it you don't sound like you mind?"

"She doesn't do any harm" Zach replied his grin still firmly in place "Besides I'drather Draco send her then Crabb or Goyle, she makes for better scenery then those gorillas"

Justin couldn't help but laugh at Zach's view of things, Justin knew that if he had been in Zach's position then he would have been extremely angry at having someone spy on his practice sessions no matter how pretty they were.

The boys watched as Pansy who was still slightly ahead of them turned into a side corridor that led towards that Slytherin common room. Making sure that Pansy had finally disappeared from view the boys quickened their pace and ran the rest of the distance to Snape's office.

"He'd better be out" Justin grumbled as he quickly bent to look through the key hole

"If not I know a good inversion hex that I've been dying to try out all summer" Zach said happily not even attempting to lower his voice and Justin was grateful that he couldn't see any movement from his limited view through the key hole.

"Now if I could just open it?" Justin whispered to himself out loud as turned and surveyed the lock and hinges of the oak door.

"Just Alohomora it" Zach said irritably and Justin groaned

"Zach do you really think that the most hated teacher in the school is only going to lock their office door? besides do you know how many students would want to get their hands on half the stuff in grease bags stores? No Snape's too clever for that, even if the door did open he'd have warning spells connected to it he'd know that someone would have been in"

"So!" Zach said as he pulled his wand out "Alohomora" he called the unlocking incantation as he tapped the lock with his wands point and the door clicked open

"It's called Smash and Grab Justin, I played it all the time back home on my estate" with that Zach headed inside and towards the cupboard that held Snape's personal stores,

"Smash and Grab" Justin muttered in disgust as he followed Zach inside,

"Justin, we're not gentlemen thieves no matter if you think we were going to be or not" Zach called as he used the unlocking charm on the large floor to ceiling cabinet at the back of the room and pulled open the heavy doors "We need something and grease bag has it, there's a time and a place for chivalry and gentleman like behaviour but now is not it"

Justin hated to admit it but Zach was right, Justin had plenty of time to uphold the honour of the Finch-Fletchley name when he was older, Susan needed help now and he had promised himself that he would provide it. And so Justin joined Zach at the cabinet to help look for the sleeping draught. They finally found it hiding behind a bottle of Black Hellebore powder that Zach had taken much pleasure in miss labelling as Dragon's scale dust.

"It's Bloody empty?" Zach grunted in disgust as he pulled the empty vial out to show Justin,

"We'll take this one then" Justin said as he pulled another vial out of the cupboard labelled in Snape's hand as 'asphodel in an infusion of wormwood'

"Are you mad?" Zach barked as he looked at the thick brown liquid inside the vial "That's the Draught of the Living Death! We don't want Susan to sleep forever!"

"Smash and grab you said" Justin repeated Zach's words "and this will have to do, trust me I'm the second cleverest student in our year"

"A cocky git more like" Zach grinned "Come on" he said as he pushed Justin to the door leaving the cupboard doors wide open

"Shouldn't we-?" Justin began but Zach cut him off

"Nah, he knows someone has been in by now so it's pointless wasting time covering up"

Justin, robeless, buried the small vial in his uniform trousers pocket as he and Zach headed back down the corridor and up the steps into the entrance hall when,

"Quickly!" Zach hissed as he pulled Justin quickly behind one of the many statues that decorated the entrance hall, silently the boys watched as Snape stormed across the marbled entrance hall and disappeared into the gloom of the dungeons corridor a furious look on his face.

"Greasy git" Zach hissed under his breath as he smile to himself before both boys dashed across the now empty hallway and back towards the kitchens "Wish we could have stayed to see his reaction"

"We couldn't get any normal sleeping potion" Zach informed Hannah and Ernie as he and Justin entered the kitchens "So we brought living death instead"

"You didn't?" Hannah said in alarm as she sat next to a now still Susan "I know I said she needed sleep but Justin that's ridiculous, even a small drop would make her sleep for a week!"

"You said you had faith in him" Zach called as though all this was a game "besides the man says we had to make do"

"And we will" Justin said as he pulled the small vial out of his pocket and he could feel himself starting to become more studious "The living death isn't much different from a normal sleeping draught, ok a few of the main ingredients are fundamentally different but a process of cut bourbon should theoretically reduce the living death into a more….suitable form"

"What?" Ernie said his eye brows raised "and how is cutting Biscuit going to help?"

"Cut bourbon means to dilute" Justin explained as he removed a jug from the nearby table and using the glass stopper from the vial as a pipette Justin allowed one small droplet of the draught of the living death to fall into the jug "Water's a natural debaser, hopefully there's enough water in here to weaken the strength of the potion"

"So that Susan doesn't sleep for a week?" Zach grinned as Justin stirred the water around so that the potion mixed fully before he half filled a goblet and handed it to Hannah, who despite her misgiving held goblet up to Susan lips who drank deeply. Within a few minutes Susan was fully asleep.

"We can provide the miss with blankets?" said the elf with the tea cosies on its head as it looked up at Hannah hopefully,

"Then fetch them" Justin urged the elf who scurried off, it had barely disappeared when it returned carrying a pile of fresh soft blankets

"Bring her over to the fire" Hannah called as she took the blankets from the elf thanking him and the elf looked over whelmed at Hannah's words.

"I've got her" Justin said to the others as he quickly scooped Susan up into his arms and carried her after Hannah, missing the sly grins that Ernie and Zach shared with each other behind his back about his actions. Hannah spreadthe blankets on the floor next to the fire and Justin laid Susan on them as Hannah folded a blanket for a pillow and pulled Justin's robes tightly around Susan and placed the reaming blankets on top of Susan as she slept.

"If she doesn't pull through this" Justin said as settled himself next to Susan and tried to cuff away the tears that where now burning at his eyes "Then I'm going to swing for Snape"

"I'll help you" Zach growled as he sat close Justin, as he also tried his hardest to hold back the tears that where now forming in his eyes

"Me too" Ernie said as he tucked Susan's blankets tightly around her "Me too"

"We're all demented aren't we?" Hannah said softly as the boys turned to look at her and she stood looking down at them and she smiled softly "Why did it take this for us to realise that as individuals we're useless? We're badgers, on our own we're nothing, but together we make something so great….I'm so sorry for last night"

"So am I" Ernie and Zach said in unison and Justin smiled weakly

"You hear that Suzie?" Justin said as he leaned close to her as she slept, "We're all sorry, we promise, if you pull through this then no more fighting, I promise you that, no more fighting amongst ourselves." The others smiled and the four friends waited and prayed in their vigilance as they sat in quite in the warmth of the kitchens as the house elves bustled around preparing dinner.

'Please let her be ok' Justin prayed, but he wasn't the only badger in the kitchen that was praying that day, Hannah, Zach and Ernie were all making the same plea.


	9. Awakening

**A/N:** I really need to give a big fat thank you a huge hug to the wonderful **shy-n-great** for doing such a brilliant job at beta-ing this chapter for me. She really has no idea what she's let herself into in agreeing to be my fic beta. lol. Well she can't back out now! (insert evil laughter here).

* * *

**Chapter 9: - Awakening**

The four badgers waited; there was nothing more for any of them to do but to wait. All of them had the same thoughts running through their heads, 'Would their friend be ok?', 'Would the potion work?' and all four badgers thought long about their part in their friend's pitying circumstances.

Ernie blamed himself for his mocking encouragements of Susan's attentions for Snape. Zach wished that he had followed through on his threat of blowing the potions master up like he had threatened to do so many times during his five previous years at Hogwarts. But it was Justin that held himself responsible the most. Justin wished that he had told Susan long ago about his feelings towards her, that he had confessed all and admitted that he loved her more then his own life.

Justin thought of all his missed opportunities, how he should have admitted his feelings in his fourth year by asking Susan to the Yule ball. But every time he had tried to ask her his courage always failed him. Susan had eventually found a date in the form of Ravenclaw's Terry Boot but had left the Ball early with a tall, dark and burly looking Durmstrang boy. And so Justin had reluctantly taken Ravenclaw's Lisa Turnip as his date and only then because she had asked him.

But despite Justin's outwardly appearance he had always been shy in matters of the heart. It was Susan who was out going and vivacious, who wore her heart on her sleeve, and never once hesitated in telling people how she felt about them, as Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode found out daily. But wonderings of events long in the past couldn't help the friends now as all four badgers waited and prayed to the god that only Hannah and Justin truly believed in.

Hannah also held herself responsible for the current state of her best friend, she wished that she had tried harder to dissuade Susan, as over the years she had watched her attraction to the potion master grow. Susan's obsession had started out so innocently, Hannah recalled. A small compliment on Susan's potion making and consistently high grades in Snape's classes had made Susan believe that there had been something more to his kindness towards her.

"Hannah," Justin said as the minutes crept into hours and the house elves began to serve the schools evening meal, "You remember what you said about me in the Great Hall this morning? That was all you, wasn't it? Well not just you because you all think it, don't you? You think that I don't share things and that it's because I don't care-"

"No!" Hannah protested as Ernie and Zach's attention turned from the sleeping Susan to Hannah, "This morning I was angry, I didn't mean what I said to be taken so cruelly-"

"It doesn't matter," Justin continued cutting Hannah's explanation short, "you said it and it can't be unsaid, and in truth it hurt."

"Justin, she didn't mean it!" Zach hurried his defence.

"No, I'm glad she did say it, she's right, all of you were right. And the reason it hurt so much is that it's true. I am guarded; I do keep my feelings to myself, it's how I was raised. I can't help it and I'm sorry for everything."

Hannah smiled, she hadn't needed an apology to forgive Justin, she was as much to blame for the fight that had occurred and Susan's situations as much as the others. But unlike Justin, whose emotional inability could be blamed on his father, who was a rich and old style Muggle military colonel with rich and old fashioned Muggle ideas about the world and society, mixed with Justin's mother's belief that emotions belonged only to the fairer sex. It was a good enough reason that anyone could ask for to be guarded and unwilling to share their feelings.

"I should be the one apologising," Hannah said smiling weakly, "after all, I was the one who starting the fight."

"Apologies accepted!" Ernie said grinning as he looked from Hannah to Zach then at Justin, "We're all friends again?"

"Yes," Hannah said smiling broadly as Justin nodded his assent, "Zach?"

"Well I don't know," Zach said grinning slightly as he pretended to think the idea over, "I am Quidditch captain and Hufflepuff's star chaser, do I really need friends at all?"

"Thanks," Ernie said acting hurt at Zach's words

"Yeah ok we can be mates," Zach conceded making light of the situation as he and Justin shook hands and Ernie stroked Zach's arm receiving a thump on the shoulder in return, "Just so long as you all understand that I'm allowed to ignore you and call you names behind your backs when I'm hanging out with the cool kids."

"Well if that's all-" Hannah laughed as Zach grinned at her. With the air cleared the friends fell once more into silence, but this time each one felt as though a weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

"Quidditch?" Justin said out loud breaking the silence once more.

"What?" Zach asked looking puzzled "Do you have Tourette's or something?"

"No," Justin laughed, "it's just that when I went to look for you guys Ernie was in our dormitory reading one of your Quidditch books, I didn't think anything of it at the time but, now? Ernie reading about Quidditch? Why? You don't know anything about the game," Justin said directing his last comment towards Ernie

"The game no," Ernie confessed a small grin growing on his face as his cheeks reddened slightly, "But the players are really buff!"

Justin rolled his eyes and wished that he had never asked, he really didn't want to imagine Ernie's personal habits at a time like this. The kitchens fell silent again, as the elves finally cleared away the remnants of the evening meal and they disappeared off to their own quarters, where ever they were.

"MY BOOKS!" Zach wailed finally after both Justin's and Ernie's words sank in, "I touched those books! I use them!" Justin chuckled as he looked at the disgusted expression on his friend's face and Ernie laughed openly as Hannah giggled.

"He likes Ray Puddleton best," a small voice said by the fire as they all quickly turned to see Susan was finally awake.

"Oh thank Merlin!" Hannah cried as she and the others rushed to Susan's side, "I was beginning to think that you were-"

"Dead?" Susan said softly as she touched her head tenderly, "I wish I was."

"Don't ever say that," Justin chastised as he knelt next to her and took her hand, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was hit by a rogue Bludger - Oh Merlin's beard do I really look like that?" Susan said as she finally caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection of the metal jug lying by her side

"That's our Susan!" Ernie beamed happily as Susan looked in horror at her reflection.

"Is she going to be ok?" Hannah quickly whispered to Justin who shrugged. In all honesty Justin didn't know. He was as amazed as the others that Susan had recovered.

"I think maybe we should get her to bed," Justin said to Hannah who nodded in agreement before they both turned back towards Susan, "Let's get you in bed," Justin said as Susan laughed at his words and then cringed with the pain in her head.

"Bed sounds good," Susan said as Justin and Zach helped her to her feet. Susan leant on Justin, her full weight resting entirely on him as the two boys manoeuvred her towards the kitchen doors and out into the corridor beyond.

Hannah was thankful that the common room was unusually empty for a Saturday evening. A few seventh year students were sat around the large open fire playing poker while giggling and guffawing as in turn the losers of the last hand removed items of clothing.

"Oi," Justin hissed pre-emptively to Zach before his gaze began to wander as a busty seventh year female badger began to unbutton her blouse.

"Mind on the job, boys," Ernie grinned as he helped the others help Susan climb through the portrait hole as they then led her towards the girls' dormitories.

"You going to be ok with her?" Justin asked his voice full of concern as he helped shift Susan's weight onto Hannah.

"We'll be fine," Hannah said as she pulled Susan's arm around her shoulder. The two girls disappeared down the dormitory corridor and out of sight.

"Susan will be ok won't she?" Zach said looking directly at Justin as though Justin was qualified to answer such a question, "She could hardly stand on her own. Tell me that's going to wear off?"

"I don't know," Justin replied honestly "I didn't think she'd be like this at all. It could just be that the effects of the potion haven't worn off properly."

"Typical really, isn't it?" Ernie laughed half heartedly making light of the situation "The thing our Suzy regains control of first and that's the power of speech!" The boys laughed then turned as a raucous torrent of cat calls and whoops drew their attentions towards the group of older badgers near the fire.

"Blimey," Zach goggled as finally the busty badger removed her top much to the appreciation of all the males in the room, or at least most of the males.

"Whatever floats your boat, guys," Ernie said grinning, "I'm off to bed to dream about Mr Puddleton." With that Ernie headed off towards the boys' dormitories leaving Zach and Justin wide eyed in the common room.

"Well," Justin said finally averting his eyes from the older students, "if Susan isn't improved by the morning then we've got no choice but to tell Pomfrey every thing. Agreed?"

"Agreed – did he say he was dreaming of Puddleton?" Zach said sounding completely detached and as if he hadn't heard a word of what Justin had said, "you don't think?-" Zach continued then pulled a disgusted face "- NOT WITH MY BOOKS HE ISN'T!" Zach yelled as he quickly hurried after Ernie as Justin followed behind. He wouldn't sleep that night. He just knew his dreams would be full of worries and concerns for Susan. His mind was conjuring and replaying all his worst thoughts over and over again as he prayed that Susan's state was merely one that needed to wear off naturally and that it wasn't anything worse.

Justin wasn't the only Badger that night that slept fitfully, Hannah hardly slept a wink as she listened to the soft breathing of Susan while she lay soundlessly in the bed opposite her. Hannah felt like a mother watching over a new born as several times during the night she crossed the room to check that Susan was truly sleeping. Hannah had known from the tone of Justin's voice that he was concerned for Susan and Hannah felt that same concern. But slowly as Hannah knew that the sky beyond her windowless dorm room was beginning to fade into grey Hannah was grateful that she still had one day left of the weekend as she knew she'd need more sleep then just a couple of snatched hours before she started back in classes on Monday. Trying unsuccessfully to sleep once more Hannah gave up, she quickly changed into jeans and a jumper, gave Susan's sleeping form one last reassuring glance and headed out into the common room.

But Susan wasn't sleeping as soundlessly as Hannah had thought, her dreams were plagued with images of the professor that she had, for so many years, admired and adored. In her dreams all Snape's kind and encouraging words seemed different, the tone in which they were said had changed. They no longer sounded as kind. And as Susan racked her memories the situations had changed also. No longer did Susan see the small secretive smile that was aimed solely at her, nor did the dreams show the shared understanding translated in the spilt seconds that she had held the potions master's eye contact. It was all gone; like someone had torn away the layers that had been blinding her, Susan now saw clearer then she had ever done before. Severus Snape was no Adonis; there were no hidden depths of purity and virtue. He was just a man, pure and simple. Susan heard the dormitory door pulled softly close as Hannah left the room. And so Susan cried as her world fell down around her as she clung to her pillow knowing that she had made herself look like a fool.

"How is she?" Justin's voice asked as he saw Hannah enter the common room.

"You been here long?" Hannah wondered out loud as she took up Ernie's usual space on the leather sofa, Justin nodded.

"Couldn't sleep, you?"

"Same," Hannah said as both nodded in complete understanding, "She's still sleeping, that's good right?"

"I guess," Justin said softly as he stared at his hands resting on his knees.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, you are, after all, the _second_ cleverest pupil in the school," Hannah said stressing the word second, causing Justin to smile slightly, as she knew it would.

"Granger's got nothing on our Finchley," Zach's voice called sleepily from the boys' dorm corridor as he and Ernie entered the common room. Zach stretched as he looked around the almost deserted room at his two friends and the litter of cards, candles, cans, pants and bras scattered around the fire place.

"And none of the other girls have got anything on our Busty Lana Love" he continued as he picked up the discarded pink bra and held it up in front of him using the straps as his imagination run riot.

"It's moments like these that make me glad I'm gay," Ernie said sarcastically as he glared at Zach who stuffed the bra into his jeans pocket before he joined the others on the sofa.

"So how's the invalid?" Ernie asked as finally Hannah gave them all an account of the night that she had had. The friends then sat once more in silence.

"I've been an idiot, haven't I?" said a weak voice that cut through the silence like a red hot knife.

"Susan!" Justin, Hannah, Zach and Ernie exclaimed as one as they all turned to see Susan standing at the entrance of the girls' dorm, her eyes puffy and red, her cheeks tear stained. Justin couldn't help but think how vulnerable Susan looked in that moment as she stood dressed in her pink nightgown and fluffy bunny slippers. Her face full of sorrow and regret as she looked at her friends as though she wasn't sure how they'd react.

"I'm so sorry," Susan gasped as more tears fell and Hannah and Ernie rushed to her side, nothing but a mixture of jubilation, concern and relief spread across their features as Hannah pulled Susan into a huge hug and both girls cried openly. Ernie patted them both on their backs and threw Zach and Justin looks that screamed that they should help him out of the situation that was developing as Susan pulled him into the hug.

"Well done, old man," Zach beamed as he slapped Justin on the back before he headed over to extract Ernie from the throng of arms and tears. Justin couldn't help but smile, as he looked at the scene in front of him, it was high praise indeed that Zach had said what he had. And now, seeing Susan with the others, Justin knew deep down in his heart that she would eventually be fine and any other thoughts that he might have harboured about Susan's condition vanished as, for a split second, his eyes met hers. He knew that there was more to that look as she smiled and mouthed softly, "Thank you."

Justin smiled in return, inclined his head and then the moment was gone as Zach proclaimed loudly that he was starving. The five friends spent the rest of the day in the common room, as Zach and Ernie took it in turns on running trips to the kitchens to forage for food and pumpkin juice.

Sunday quickly turned into Monday and the rivalry between the houses suddenly sprang to life as the first Quidditch match of the season was scheduled for that weekend. With the prospect of the match, classes that week seemed to fly by. Susan still refused to enter the Great Hall at meals times but after great persuasion from Hannah and Ernie, and slight encouragement from Professor Sprout in the form of a weeks worth of detentions if she didn't resume her attendance. And so on Wednesday Susan found the courage to attend classes once more. Hannah was proud of her friends bravery even though Susan had quickly developed feverish symptoms on the way to the Dungeons and had to miss potions that week. The weekend was quickly upon the students of Hogwarts and as the sixth year badgers entered the castle grounds they couldn't help but laugh as Zach gave his annual obstinate whinge about the unfairness of always allowing Gryffindor and Slytherin the first match of the season.

"There's no need for it, not really," Zach grumbled as he led them towards the Hufflepuff stands to find the best seats, "So what if the first match played is always by the two high scoring teams of the previous season? It just isn't cricket."

Justin, Ernie, Hannah and Susan ignored him as the stands filled; all of them knew that Zach didn't need any encouragement once he got going on his favourite topic, belittling everything that wasn't Hufflepuff.

"Lord Cho's looking fat," Zach exclaimed as he pointed the Ravenclaw out across the stands as Susan laughed while pulling her cloak about herself, trying to hide herself amongst her friends as she saw Professor Snape entering the top box.

"Is she still dating Roger?" Ernie asked to no one in particular as he quickly scanned the Ravenclaw stands to see that Roger was sitting several seats behind Cho.

The match soon kicked off in a torrent of cheers and boos, the loudest of which came from Zach as he berated all the players that whizzed by the Hufflepuff stands.

"KNOCK HIM OFF HIS BROOM!" Zach yelled his voice already hoarse from screaming this a hundred times already that match as he stood in the stands with the rest of the sixth form badgers while his Quidditch team crowded round him. All of the latter taking notes on their opposite numbers currently playing.

"You see that?" Zach called out to his team, "Potter keeps high above the pitch so he can scan out the lay of the play! You watching him Skyler?" Zach said needlessly calling to his own seeker. The play continued and so did Zach's commentary; play eventually finished late that afternoon with a win to Gryffindor.

The weeks rolled on and Christmas was fast approaching. Justin had now started planning his sixth year revision plans and had quickly taken a perverse pleasure in telling all the fifth year badgers how hard OWLS were. Justin had even taken to revising from his pervious year's notes and between his studies and homework he had even found time to tutor the first years in some of the more advanced lower grade spells, much to their utter excitement.

Ernie had lost and misplaced the cubs a total of seven times in as many days, thankfully with no dire consequences. He unlike Justin hadn't any plans to revise until the last possible moment. But over the weeks Ernie had become more and more familiar with his head of house's office as she began to keep more of a closer eye on him and gave him continual threats of removing his prefect badge. Most of these threats had centred on his loss and neglect of the Hufflepuff cubs, which had just added more fuel to Ernie's conspiracy that their head of house was out to get him.

Zach's Quidditch passion had increased with the promise of Hufflepuff's first match of the season growing ever closer. He had increased his teams training sessions from two a week to four a week and was hardly ever seen without one item of Quidditch paraphernalia tucked under his arm.

Susan on the other hand had become obsessed with the idea of avoiding a certain potions master and had gone to great lengths to avoid a confrontation. She hadn't attended a class since the incident over a month and a half ago and she refused point blank to eat in the Great hall, preferring to opt for takeaways from the kitchens. And if, by some cruel twist of fate she spotted Snape in the corridors Susan's preferred tactic was to leg it in the opposite direction.

And as for Hannah, well Hannah had finally decided that Susan, Zach, Ernie and Justin were as crazy as Fwooper keepers.


	10. Insurrection

**A/N:** Another wonderfully beta-ed chapter from my fantastic Beta lady shy-n-great. Check out her Oliver Wood/Hermione Fan Fic called Someone To Love. It's a cracking read! And thank you to all of you that have reviewed this fic so far. I love reading your comments so keep them coming!

I hope you enjoy this chapter.

-nutto-

* * *

**Chapter 10:- Insurrection**

The advent of November brought cold winds and the promise that Christmas would be a white one. The Hufflepuff's first Quidditch match was just over a week away and Zach's presence at meal times was now becoming as sporadic as Susan's. The rest of the badger house barely saw any members of their team outside of classes as Zach had taken his role as team captain very seriously. He had plotted training sessions around class times, insisting that the team needed as much practice and conditioning to the weather as possible. He had planned and set out dietary requirements for all of his team members, basing each person's needs on many different factors that included their playing position, height, weight, broom and many other factors. Many of the team had happily welcomed Zach's changes as they too shared Zach's enthusiasm, drive and want for the Quidditch cup. But there was one member of the team who always managed to rile Zach's temper and that night as Zach stomped into the common room after a three hour training session in a raging rain storm Susan, Justin, Hannah and Ernie knew that the team's seeker had been up to his old tricks. Zach's face was an unreadable mask as he and his team entered the common room all of them trailing mud as though they were over grown slugs, each one covered from head to toe in the stuff and all of them dripping wet.

"Good session, guys! Play like that next week and we'll have Davis licked," Zach called happily as his team headed to their dorm showers leaving Zach and the sixth formers alone in the common room.

"We suck!" Zach said dejectedly as he dropped onto the sofa next to Ernie with an unpleasant squelch and clasped his hands to his face resting them on his knees.

"What happened?" Hannah asked in concern. Zach usually returned from practice in a very hyperactive mood, insisting on recounting all the moments of the sessions play by play, or berating his team mates for their incompetence and inadequacies in the same enthusiastic manor as he had praised them. But now, sitting silently with his hands covering his face, all the badgers knew that something really terrible was plaguing their friend.

"I hate him," was all that Zach said as he leaned back against the sofa, squelching some more as he sighed heavily.

"Who?" Hannah asked

"Pratt," Susan said mildly from her pink inflatable chair as she returned her concentration to the task of painting Ernie's toenails while he braided her hair.

"Oh," Hannah said in complete understanding, Pratt was the nickname that Susan, Ernie and Zach used for the badgers' Quidditch team seeker. His real name was Skyler Prattleson, he had been appointed to the team the previous year and he and Zach had never seen eye to eye on anything Quidditch related.

"Don't get me wrong," Zach said hurriedly, "we were brilliant. The session was intense, and if we play as good during the real thing we'll definitely give Ravenclaw a run for third place."

"Only third?" Ernie laughed, "Why not first?" but even Ernie knew the answer to that question.

"Pratt," Zach said bitterly, "You'd think that he's captain of the team the way he bosses everyone around. He refuses to listen to me and he spends half his time criticising the rest of the team when he's supposed to be looking for the Snitch. It just isn't cricket!"

"You want Justin to hex him for you?" Susan offered jokingly as Justin laughed from his place in his high backed chair but Zach didn't laugh.

"I'll hex him myself if he screws up my chances of beating the birdbrains!" The Ravenclaws had Roger Davis and Cho Chang as their star players. Together they were a formidable partnership, Roger as captain and chaser and Cho as seeker.

"If he's that much of a nuisance to the team then why don't you drop him?" Hannah voiced, adding a touch of sensibility to the conversation

"Sprout won't let me, _'it's the taking part not the winning that matters, Smith',_" Zach said adopting his best Sprout like impersonation.

"That sounds like the badger way," Ernie laughed as Zach growled next to him muttering something about showing Pratt a real Badger way as he thumped his fist into his hand.

"Well talking of taking part," Justin said quickly, "Granger collared me after Runes, Potter's holding another meeting this Tuesday, and we're to bring anyone who wants to come along."

"Tuesday?" Zach raged as he pulled his hands through his hair, "Three days before our match? Count me and the team out then."

"Your coming," Hannah said sharply, "it'll do you all good to get a break from Quidditch." But as Zach sank further into the sofa grumbling to himself all the badgers knew that Zach didn't think so.

"Look at it this way," Susan said cheerfully, "with Potter, the red moron and Pratt together in one room it'll be like killing three birds with one stone." Ernie laughed at Susan's comment and patted her head like she was a lap dog.

"That's my Suzie Q," Ernie said as Zach grinned.

Tuesday night saw a deluge of Badgers leaving their common room as Justin, Zach and the other six formers led the group of students that were interested in finding out more about Potter's private meetings towards the Room of Requirement. There were fifty two Badgers in total that followed behind Zach and the others. All the first, second and third years had jumped at the chance of following the older students out of the common room past curfew. The seventh years had laughed at the six formers and demanded what could they possibly learn from such meetings? But once Susan had pulled Busty Lana Love to one side and both girls had immediately fell into a rapturous talk about Roger Davis's presence at the meetings, the seventh years agreed to attend. Like most schools, once the older years had set their minds to something, the younger years quickly followed suite. And so it was that as Justin walked passed the small patch of empty wall space on the seventh floor all of Hufflepuff house stood behind him watching his movements.

The Room of Requirement was already abuzz with nervous excitement as the Hufflepuff's entered, pushing their way past the knoll of Ravenclaws and Gryffindors. Ernie couldn't help but smile as his eyes quickly counted the other occupants of the room. It wasn't hard to see that the number of Hufflepuff greatly out numbered the other two houses, even combined. Ernie wasn't the only Badger that felt a strong surge of pride as he too counted the others in the room, and Zach, like Ernie, couldn't help but grin.

"Well…err…Welcome!" Potter called as he looked amazed at all the Hufflepuffs who stared at him, "I'm so glad that so many of you are eager to learn the truth about certain events that are happening-" Ernie didn't hear anymore then these opening words of Potter's, his attention lay elsewhere as he caught a glimpse of Roger Davis as the tall Ravenclaw captain stood next to Cho Chang. Ernie couldn't help but laugh to himself when he thought that Zach was right. Cho did look fat –

"Did he say something funny?" a voice called harshly as Ernie got the distinct impression that the entire room had turned to look towards him.

"What?" Ernie said taken aback as his eyes quickly turned to see that it had been the red moron, Ron Weasley, who had spoken. And just as Ernie had dreaded Ron was looking pointedly towards him.

"You find You-Know-Who killing people funny?" barked Hermione as she joined Ron's side.

"N-No-" Ernie stuttered as he quickly tried to explain, "I wasn't even listening."

"You weren't listening?" Skyler Prattleson said aghast as he looked at Ernie in horror, "Harry's trying to help us all stay safe and you're off in a world of your own!"

"Don't be a Pratt all your life, Pratt. Ernie probably knows more about Voldemort-" the other students gasped at his use of Voldemort's name "-and his ways then most people here," Zach growled as he shot Pratt a deathly look while Pratt blanched under Zach's words

The meeting continued in much the same fashion, Potter, Granger and Weasley preached the same words that they had done previously while Ernie, Zach, Justin, Hannah and Susan looked on stony faced and bored to tears, as were many of the other Hufflepuffs that stood around them. The only exceptions were Busty Lana Love, who was giving Roger Davis, what she must have thought, were alluring cheeky smiles and winks, but Roger looked more worried then wooed. The other was Skyler Prattleson who listened to Potters words rapturously as though only the two of them existed in the entire room. But it wasn't just the Badgers that had started to drift as Potter continued his message of warning, hardships and preaching, many of the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors could be found looking about them as they all wondered when they would start to learn how to blow things up. It wasn't until almost half an hour later that Potter and his cronies finally got down to the business that had brought so many of the students there that evening, the learning of new spells.

"What a waste of an evening!" Zach groaned as he and the other Hufflepuffs quickly headed back to their common room. The older students hadn't really learnt anything new but the fourth, third, second and first years were all filled with excitement about the prospects of the continued secret meetings. Ernie called out the password to the common room and the Badgers filed in.

"I could have been reviewing tactics! Planning strategies-" Zach complained as he slumped into his favourite place on the sofa, Ernie joined him as Hannah, Justin and Susan seated themselves on their favourite seats. "What a waste!" Susan and Ernie stifled a laugh and Justin, hidden in the darkness that was provided by the high winged sides of his chair, grinned.

"Your never happy unless you're moaning, Smith," a critical voice reproached as Skyler Prattleson moved towards the group, "I thought the evening well spent, granted Potter was little weak in his speech making but that will improve with time. And -"

"Sod off, Pratt," Ernie warned as he felt Zach move beside him. Skyler shot a venomous look at Ernie before he turned on his heels and headed towards the dorms.

"Why didn't you hex him when you had the chance tonight?" Zach grumbled as he directed his comment at Susan who had partnered Skyler during the pair's exercises. Susan smiled sweetly.

"It was for the greater good I'm afraid," Susan purred as Zach slumped deeper into the sofa looking thoroughly disheartened. The conversation between the boys grew and soon Susan's eyes were wandering towards the first year cubs, who, still high on the excitement of that evening, were busy chatting and playing in the corner of the common room. No one but Susan and Hannah watched as Mary, Eddie and Kevin took it in turns to practice the spells that they had learned that night. And no one but Susan and Hannah saw Patience Reinhold and Dillon Forsyth playing with a small ill tempered little pixie that Patience's mother and father had given her for her Hogwarts pet. The blue little creature had been the bane of the female badgers for the best part of that term. Screeching and rattling the bars of its cage at all hours of the night. But as Susan watched the pixie sink its sharp little teeth into Patience's hand, who, shocked by such savagery, gasped and immediately let go of the creature. Susan could imagine the bedlam already, stunning charms, hexes and all manors of curses would soon be breaking the tranquillity of the common room as Patience's cries and protests about the death of her pet would punctuate the air. But as Susan watched the cubs this imagined pandemonium was adverted as little Mary Creevey quickly turned and snatched the escaped pixie out of the air.

"Did you see that?" Susan asked Hannah with a smile quickly spreading across her face as she stunned by Mary's cat-like reflexes.

"Yeah," Hannah replied less enthusiastically, "Shame really, I'd have liked to have stunned the little bugger." Susan goggled at her friend, never had she heard Hannah talk so cruelly about anything before. But Susan found that she liked this more brassy sounding Hannah and both girls laughed as the boys suddenly became aware that the girls were still with them.

"What?" Zach asked curiously looking from Susan to Hannah and back again

"Nothing," Susan said smiling as she and Hannah made their excuses and headed to bed.

Wednesday's morning break saw Susan, Hannah, Zach, Ernie and Justin huddled together against the blistering cold wind as all the sixth form badgers stood about the quad. Zach hadn't stopped talking Quidditch all morning and Susan was once more avoiding their potions master.

"We've an idea for the team," Susan said in a hushed voice as she hid in the knot of arms, legs and cloaks that were her friends while Snape passed by the badger on his rounds as monitor for the break. Justin was certain that Snape's black beady eyes had lingered on the sixth form badgers longer then any other students in the quad. It was almost as though he had been searching deep within them to find a hidden answer, but Justin shrugged this absurd thought away as Hannah gave Susan the all clear and she immerged from their folds of capes and cloaks.

"We've an idea for the team," Susan said indicating herself and Hannah, her voice scarcely above a whisper as though she feared speaking normally in case she attracted any untoward attention.

"It's a good idea," Hannah nodded in agreement as Zach looked at the girls sternly.

"When you say team-" Zach said slowly, choosing his words carefully, "You don't me the team that I've spent the better part of two months training, grooming and drilling into the well oiled machine that it is today, do you?"

"The very same," Susan beamed cheekily, "besides it isn't a well oiled machine, there's a spanner in the works you said it yourself."

"Pratt? Yes I know," Zach groaned, "But I can't do anything about it, Sprout wouldn't let me. And even if I could, it's too late now. The match is two days away!"

"But I've got a plan!" Susan beamed as Zach, Justin and Ernie shared anxious glances. The memory of Susan's last plan back in their third year still haunted Ernie to this day.

"Susan! -" Zach said, his voice strained as he tried to think of a nice way of telling Susan that her plans sucked and usually ended with Ernie having to spend the remainder of the week in the infirmary.

"No this is a good plan!" Susan hastened to say as Hannah nodded in agreement.

"This one involves Mary," said Hannah happily.

"What about Mary?" Justin asked as Zach looked at them blankly.

"Mary Who?" Zach asked completely lost as to who the girls were talking about.

"Little Mary Creevey," Hannah said pretending to ignore Zach's ignorance of the cubs, "She'll make a brilliant Seeker."

"You are joking right?" Zach asked his eyes widening in horror as Susan shook her head.

"No I'm not," Susan grinned, "She's small, which makes her light weight, so she'll be quick on a broom. Her reflexes are wicked quick. We saw her catch that horrid little pixie of Patience's right out of the air."

"There's more to being a Seeker than speed and the ability of catching fast moving objects!" Zach said infuriated

"No there isn't," Ernie laughed

"Yes there is!"

"Like what? You mean it takes enthusiasm and a love of the game?" Ernie joked

"To name a few, yeah!" Zach raged.

"She loves Quidditch, she says it's all her brothers ever talked about," Hannah said beaming

"And do you know anyone who could be more enthusiastic about something magical than a Creevey?" Susan said grinning,

"My dog…?" Zach said clutching at straws.

"Pathetic! And you don't even have a dog! Name one good reason why she shouldn't be allowed on the team?" Susan demanded, her hands firmly planted on her hips. Justin couldn't help but stare at Susan as the wind lifted and blew her cape out behind her, showing her small but perfectly formed body hidden beneath her robes, her lips pert, her expression mischievous as she looked Zach in the eyes, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips as she toyed with Zach. Justin struggled to resist the urge to both hit Zach for this lavished attention and his other urge of reaching out and kissing Susan as she stood teasing Zach. _'Snape was an idiot,' _Justin thought as he finally lowered his eyes and shook his head to rid himself of such thoughts. She was truly beautiful but this wasn't the time or place to let his mind wander to such thoughts about a woman that didn't think of him the same that he did of her.

"First years aren't allowed on the house team!" Zach said with confidence as he defiantly looked Susan in the eyes.

"You're the captain! You pick the team! You can have anyone you want on it!" Hannah said happily.

"Alright…Well…Well….We already have a Seeker, remember?"

"Skyler Prattleson? You can't start defending him now," Susan said laughing, "Besides he's far too big to be a Seeker."

"Cedric was large for Seeker standards!" Zach protested

"Yeah but Cedric at least had skills and style on his side!" Hannah said nonchalantly as Ernie's eyes widened at Hannah's words and Susan giggled.

"She's got you there," Justin laughed.

"Well if Pratt wasn't playing then Mary could right?" Susan asked seriously.

"But he is playing," Zach retorted defensively.

"Yes but suppose that he wasn't," Susan said softly, her voice full of seriousness now, "just suppose that something happened and Pratt couldn't play. Then what?"

"What are you planning!" Zach asked growing concerned for the safety of his only Seeker.

"Nothing!" Susan said as she and Hannah turned and quickly headed back to the castle.

"You know it scares me when those two start having independent thoughts," Ernie said

"Yeah, remember what happened third year?"

"How can I forget?" Ernie said he rubbing his arm, "I've still got the scars."

"MURDER IS STILL A CRIME!" Zach yelled after the girls who both just laughed and continued walking.

"This isn't funny!" Ernie complained that evening as Hannah and Susan cornered him in the common room after dinner as they explained their plan to him.

"I'm not doing it!" Ernie growled as the girls pulled him reluctantly onto the sofa and began grooming him. Hannah pulling a comb roughly through his hair as Susan pulled off his comfy trainers, replacing them with his black school shoes that she had persuaded Justin to fetch from the boys' dormitories.

"If only you would hold still, you'd look reasonably presentable," Susan said as she stood up and moved to remove his school tie as she held a pink silk one that Justin had lent to the girls in her other hand.

"I'm not doing it!" grumbled Ernie slapping Susan's hands away from neck as she tried to remove his tie.

"Don't be so selfish, do it for the team," Zach laughed as he leaned on the back of Justin's chair, both boys struggling against the strong urge to laugh as Susan and Hannah had revealed their idea.

"If you like it so much you do it!" Ernie snapped as he once more slapped Susan's hand away before she grabbed hold of the hem of his school shirt and pulled it upwards trapping his arms inside the shirt as Hannah, giggling, sponged Ernie down while he yelled in protest. The sixth years were drawing lots of attention to themselves but none of them except Ernie cared about this as finally he freed himself from the shirt and Susan dried him with a charm from her wand.

"It's just a date," Susan said giggling as she collapsed into her favourite chair and tossed Ernie a clean shirt and the pink tie, "Now put them on!"

"But it isn't just a date, is it?" Ernie griped as he threw the shirt and tie back at her "And I'm not pimping myself out for you, for Zach or anyone!"

"Well then don't think of it as a date," Hannah said, "think of it as a nice evening stroll with a friend."

"But that's the point, isn't it? He isn't a friend!" Ernie protested, "I don't even like him!"

"Quit moaning and get changed," Susan said sharply as she tossed the shirt and tie back and pointed her wand at Ernie, "Or do I have to stupefy you and undress you in front of the entire house?"

"Fine," Ernie growled as he grabbed the shirt and tie and disappeared off to his dorm room. He reappeared ten minutes later dressed in a Muggle jacket suit, shirt and tie that Justin had loaned the girls for the occasion.

"Very flashy," Susan grinned as Ernie rejoined the sixth years, "You've got good taste, Justin." Justin couldn't help but smile at the compliment. But it meant even more to him that Susan had been the one to appreciate his clothes.

"What do I have to do?" Ernie sighed, resigned to his task as Susan beamed a smile that made her look like an excitable child.

"Just go on the date…err walk-" Susan quickly corrected herself.

"And after?" Ernie asked reluctantly.

"Well what happens afterwards is entirely up to you!" Susan grinned mischievously as she giggled, "Well Pratt really, have you seen the size of his hands? I bet he's really strong too after all his training so whatever he has planned I bet you wouldn't be able to resist!"

"That's just disgusting! How did you even make it into this house you vile girl?" Ernie said looking repulsed

"Susan, you're really not helping," Hannah said as she fixed Ernie's tie as Susan stifled a laugh, "Just ignore her, Ernie, Skyler's going to be a gentleman. All you have to do is talk to him, maybe apologise for last night and just enjoy yourself."

"Apologise?" Justin said taken aback "Ernie's got nothing to apologise for."

"Well then just talk and be friendly," Hannah corrected.

"Talk and be friendly, right," Ernie said as he repeated his new mantra.

"I still don't understand how I never picked up on the fact that Pratt was gay!" Zach said reverting back to a previous topic that he had made the girls discuss at long length when they had revealed their plan.

"Simple really," Susan said with the air of someone who was well versed in this aspect of life, "No one looks at someone the way he was looking at Potter unless they fancy them. And believe me I know that look." Justin knew exactly what Susan meant. He and the other Badgers had seen that very same look in Susan's eyes as she had stared longingly at Snape. Justin couldn't help but feel a pang of regret that Susan had never noticed that same longing in his eyes as he gazed at Susan.

"Susan's even packed you a picnic," Hannah said braking thorough Justin's train of thought as she turned to the basket on the chair next to her.

"Picnic?" Ernie said suspiciously as he looked at the basket as though it was a dung bomb waiting to explode, "I'm not taking anything that Suzie's packed without a thorough inspection first!"

"Spoil sport!" Susan huffed as she folded her arms across her chest and pretended to be hurt, "It's a lovely picnic, full of the essentials, tartan blanket, sandwiches, flask of pumpkin juice, a Hogwarts friendly Wizard Wireless network radio-"

"Which station?" Ernie asked sceptically.

"There's only one station?"

"And you've not jinxed it to play only romantic music?"

"Would I!" Susan said this time sounding actually offended.

"Don't pack the radio," Ernie said to Hannah who grinned, "What else is in there?"

"Yogurt, biscuits, cake," Hannah said as she peeped into the wicker basket.

"Cake?" Zach said suddenly becoming interested, "Is it chocolate?"

"Yep," Susan grinned.

"Can't we keep that?"

"No," Susan quickly said as she grabbed the hem of his robes preventing him from removing the coveted item from the basket.

"Right," Hannah said smiling as she clapped her hands together as she spotted Pratt entering the common room from the boys' dormitories.

"Ernest," Pratt said to Ernie coyly in greeting as he joined the others.

"Pratt-ouch-Skyler," Ernie said as Hannah kicked him hard in the shins at the use of Pratt's nickname amongst the friends.

"Well kiddies have fun," Susan said grinning madly as she jumped up from her chair, shoved the basket into Ernie's hands and pushed them both towards the portrait hole.

"Have fun!" Zach grinned as Pratt led the way out of the common room with Ernie following as Susan and Hannah waved goodbye to them. Justin couldn't help but smile at the thought that the girls looked like proud parents wishing their first born good luck on his first ever date.

"And walk around the lake!" Susan called as she waved, "The view's beautiful this time of year."

"Don't do anything Susan wouldn't do!" Zach called receiving an 'Oi' and a playful punch from Susan as Ernie shot them all hate filled glances.

"Awwww, our little boy's all grown up," Susan said as she slipped her hand under Justin's arm as the portrait hole closed and she wiped away a pretend tear as they all headed back to their places at the leather sofa.

"There's still one thing I don't understand though," Justin said as he sat back on his favourite chair while Susan sat on the chairs arm half leaning on him half on the high backed wing, "How is Ernie going on a date with Pratt going to help us win the Quidditch cup?"

"Wheels within wheels," Susan said evasively as she rested her head on Justin's shoulder grinning, "just wait and see."

"You're not still fixating about this Mary Creevey idea of yours are you?" Zach demanded in an exasperated tone which he reserved only for moments that he felt needed special punctuation, "Because we play Ravenclaw in two days and I need a Seeker."

"You'll have one, don't worry," Susan said sounding offended as she and Hannah shared a knowing grin.

"How did it go?" Susan and Hannah asked eagerly as Ernie returned to the house common room over three hours later.

"Oh it went fine."

"And?" the girls asked excitedly.

"And you can rest assured that Mary will be playing this weekend."

"I knew it!" Zach said his eyes widening in terror and fury as he looked towards Susan who looked overjoyed at Ernie's news.

"And he didn't mind?" Hannah asked amazed at Ernie's words, "You just asked him to quit and he did?"

"Oh I never got to ask him. But then again he didn't really have a choice did he, Suzie?" Ernie said heatedly as he looked at Susan.

"Why?" Zach asked, confused by what was being said as he looked from Susan to Ernie, who looked as though he had been pulled through a hedge. The jacket and trousers were soaking, covered in patches of mud and as Ernie moved his shoes made an unpleasant squishing sound.

"What did you do to my suit?" Justin demanded.

"Well it's like this," Ernie said calmly as he struggled against his wish to yell and scream, "Me and Pratt talked, just like you told us to. We walked, again just like you said. We sat to eat the picnic by the lake. He loved the chocolate cake by the way, but it also turns out that the giant squid likes chocolate cake too!"

"Oh," said Susan as she stifled a laugh and faked her innocent, "I had no idea! Will he live?"

"Yes, he'll live you very evil child. He's with madam Pomfrey who's fixing his bones and bandaging him up. Apparently he'll not be playing Quidditch any time this season," Ernie said grinning as he sat down on the sofa as Zach looked mortified at Ernie's words, "How did you even know that the giant squid liked chocolate?"

"Last months copy of the Quibbler!" Susan said offering no further explanation as she smiled. The Quibbler, despite its reputation as a magazine filled with nonsense and madness, was Susan fount of wisdom.

"Oh and I'm fine by the way, if you wanted to know," Ernie rebuked them as he brushed mud of Justin jackets lapel, "Roger Davies was out with Cho. They heard Skyler screaming and he managed to rescue me before any real harm happened…..he's actually quite strong for a chaser," Ernie said as he rubbed his arm in remembrance of Roger's strong grip pulling him out of danger.

"Really," Susan grinned as she looked at the distant look on Ernie's face, "Did Cho get eaten?"

"No," Ernie said as though that truly was disappointing, "but Pratt threw up on her robes."

"All in all, it was a job well done then," Hannah beamed as Susan laughed and Ernie replayed the moments of his rescue as Roger's manly arms freed him from the squid.

"All in all?" Zach said his voice barely above a whisper as he looked quite pale, "All in all I'm a team member down. And it isn't like I can forgo having a Seeker on the team is it!"

"And I told you Mary's going to be Hufflepuff's new Seeker," Susan said brightly.

"I'M CAPTAIN!" Zach yelled as he drew the attention of the other students in the common room, "I DECIDE WHO'S ON THE TEAM, NOT YOU!"

"Don't yell at her!" Justin said calmly as he got to his feet hoping that his intervention between his friends wouldn't lead to the same sorry events that had happened last time the Badgers had argued, "Susan was trying to help. You were the one that was continually slating Skyler and his attitude to the team. So don't go yelling at Susan because she was man enough to do the job you couldn't!" Hannah, Ernie and Susan's eyes moved from Zach to Justin then back again like spectators watching a game of Muggle tennis.

"BUT A FIRST YEAR!" Zach raged, "The match is in two days! She's only just learnt how to use a broom! There is no way I'm putting her on the team!"

"Give her a chance!" Susan pleaded.

"No!"

"But you don't have anyone else," Hannah said pointing out the obvious.

"Thanks, thanks a lot," Zach said pitifully as he collapsed onto the sofa his eyes prickling with tears as he pulled at his hair, "The one year that I really thought we could give Ravenclaw a run for their money and my own friends stab me in the back."

"I didn't stab you in the back," Susan said softly, "I was trying to help. You hated Pratt on the team, admit that at least."

"If you wanted me to have a nervous breakdown then you're going about it the right way!" Zach said ignoring Susan's words, "There is no way I can get Mary ready to play in two days!"

"So you're willing to try?" Susan said grasping at what little hope and leverage she could. Justin watched as slowly Zach raised his head and looked directly at Susan. There was no hate or anger in Zach's eyes or voice as he spoke, "I don't have much choice do I?"

"Nope," Susan grinned as Zach glared at her.

"Poor Skyler," Hannah said truly sorry for her part in Skyler's current condition.


	11. Badgers, Birds and Blizzards

**A/N: - I really need to give a big thank you to my wonderful Beta Shy-and-great. She's been fantastic throughout the writing of this chapter and has provided me with support and lots of entertainment and ideas. huggles shy **

**And thank you to Tez for chipping in as well**

**Thanks guys!**

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Chapter 11: Badgers, Birds and Blizzards **

The following day was a Thursday and the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw match was now only one day away. Zach was beginning to become increasingly anxious and nervous about the prospects of the match and it's out come. His worries weren't eased by the fact that by mid afternoon the news that Hufflepuff's seeker was out of commission had spread through Hogwarts like wildfire. And similarly so had the news that Skyler, Ernie, Roger and Cho had been on the grounds at the same time. No one really knew what had happened between them and the giant squid, so naturally wild and fantastic tales were being created by students and teachers alike.

"Oi, Smith!" Draco yelled that morning as he and Blaise pushed passed the badgers as they all made their way out of charms, which had been the sixth years first class of the day. "Is there any truth in the rumour that your own team was selling you out? Because that's what I heard, passing on your tactics and strategies. I'm amazed, truly I am," Draco said feigning sympathy and shock, "I didn't know Hufflepuff had any tactics!"

"Very funny!" Zach retorted his hand clenched around the hilt of his wand as it lay deep inside his robes pocket. "So funny my sides are splitting."

Draco laughed then continued down the corridor after his house mates as Pansy flashed Zach a small smile that he didn't even notice before she too hurried off after Draco and his cronies. Justin smiled to himself knowingly; Zach was too wrapped up in his concerns for the Hufflepuff team and his sudden urge to cause Draco great pain despite Susan and Hannah's absolute faith in their idea that Mary would make a perfect seeker.

As Justin walked with the badgers he couldn't help but think about the smile that Pansy had thrown at Zach. It was one that he himself had used on many occasions, a small timid smile, and the type he reserved only for Susan. It was also the type that he had seen Susan waste on their potions master many times before. But Justin shrugged these thoughts away. It was an impossible idea, but yet Justin was so sure that he hadn't miss read Pansy's signals to his friend.

All that day and the following Friday Zach felt sick, His stomach felt like a knot of tightly coiled worms and he was constantly on the edge over his imagined spectacular annihilation of his team at the hands of the Ravenclaw's. His worries weren't eased by the two training practices that Zach insisted Mary have. The first was solely dedicated to teaching Mary the basics of Broom flying, as a Muggle born Mary hadn't had the privilege of owning a broom from a young age like most wizarding children did, but even though this lesson failed to find Mary's broom skills her enthusiasm never faulted, nor did Zach's determination during the lesson of making Mary a seeker.

Mary's lesson on Friday was dedicated more to the practical side of her role on the team, and finally, after four hours out on the pitch in the blistering cold winds that were threatening snow, Zach conceded that his team needed rest more then they needed training.

"Here he is!" Ernie cooed as Zach reluctantly followed his weary team into the Hufflepuff common room late on Friday night. "The slave driver has returned!"

Many of the nearby students chuckled and cheered but Zach couldn't even find strength for a weak smile as he finally joined his friends and flopped down into his usual place next to Ernie on the leather sofa.

"How was practice?" Susan asked curiously as Zach stifled a yawn and kicked off his muddy boots.

"Good, really good," Zach said in a voice that was loud enough to be heard by most of the neighbouring students and some of his team. Then deciding to give up this pretence he stood and addressed the whole house, "Friends, Badgers, third years, lend me your ears, for I have a dream, a dream that tomorrow shall be our finest hour, the time when Hufflepuff expects every man to do his duty, not just your team but all of you. For we shall fight them on the pitches, we will fight them in the stands, we will never give up, we will never surrender, ours is but to do or die for our names will always carry on to the Quidditch cup and beyond! For we do this for Cedric Diggory, for a man that we all loved and admired, a true and trusted friend. Tomorrow the fate of badger honour depends upon our battle so let every man do his utmost for we fight, and we'll win. For we do it for Cedric!" A few of the nearby students carried the call until the entire house were on their feet chanting and cheering.

"FOR CEDRIC!"

"FOR CEDRIC!"

Soon all of Hufflepuff where swearing by Merlin's beard that they'd thrash Ravenclaw and praised Zach and the team for their efforts and wished them all luck even though most of the house was now convinced that they didn't need any.

"AND NOW!" Zach yelled above all the noise, and all of his previous tiredness now seemed to be gone, "TEAM TO BED!" This provoked even more cheering and banging of fists on tables as all the Quidditch team proudly gathered themselves up and followed their captain towards their dormitories. Twenty minutes later the rest of the sixth year badgers followed and so it was that when Justin and Ernie entered their room they found Zach huddled on his bed, knees pulled up under his chin and his face buried deep in his hands still dressed in his muddy Quidditch robes.

"Zach?" Justin said tentatively as he wondered if his friend had been crying.

"I'm fine," Zach said defensively as he sighed loudly and moved round so that the others couldn't see his face, "I'm just shattered that's all. I think I've trained too much this week."

"Oh well if your fine then that's ok," Ernie said as he and Justin entered the room, closed the door and headed towards their beds and made to get ready for sleep as the silence in the room hung like a foul stench.

"Actually no I'm not!" Zach said, his voice suddenly changing to a harsh angry one, "I'm bloody furious that's what I am! What in the name of Helga Hufflepuff has Susan done? She who knows sod-bloody-all about Quidditch and cares even less about us winning! For the past year she's done nothing but take an interest in how many buttons Snape has on his cuffs or which frock coat he'll wear for class. She doesn't bloody care that I've spent the better part of this year building a top notch team did she!"

"Now you know that's not true," Justin hurried his defence of Susan, "I honestly don't think Susan meant any harm."

"Oh Merlin, save us from good intentions," Zach scoffed

"Oh come off it, Zach, that's a little harsh," Justin said coolly in the face of his friend's anger, "Does it really matter who wins so long as you all have fun taking part-"

"Don't even dignify that with an answer!" Ernie said to Zach in mock horror at Justin's words, but yet Zach still did.

"Taking part? Taking part? What's the point of bloody taking part if you can't win? In everything there has to be winners and losers and I'm sick of us badgers having to be the losers every time! This year we had a chance. We finally had a chance to perhaps get a glimpse at the Quidditch cup but now, because of Susan and her bloody master plan, the closest we're going to get to that cup is as close as Ernie is to pulling Roger Davis."

"HEY!" Ernie protested

"Where is all this coming from?" Justin asked Zach as both boys looked at each other, "Twenty minutes ago you were full of it, praising your team and our house. What happened to all that bravado?"

"Don't start being thick, Justin; you know as well as I do that all that out there was a show," Zach said sadly, "It doesn't fill anyone with confidence being told they don't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning."

"And how do you think they'll feel if they find out their captain lied to them?"

"They'll understand because that's my job. I train them, I keep them in check and I boost their confidence when they need it."

"But who boosts your confidence?" Justin asked grinning slightly as Zach grinned too, knowing full well what Justin was getting at. "We're here for you if you need us, mate"

"And even if you don't we're still here," Ernie called as he pulled on his night shirt and crawled into bed. "We live in the same room so there's no getting away from you." They all laughed and Zach threw his pillow at Ernie who reciprocated with a shoe.

The following day, match day, Zach was the first badger in Hufflepuff house to wake. His face was ghostly white and his hands shook slightly as he held them out in front of him, but it was hardly surprising seeing how he had spent the last hour throwing his guts up in the boy's toilets. He then spent the remaining two hours before the rest of his team woke reviewing Ravenclaw's past tactics and mumbling curse words under his breath.

Finally as Ernie and Justin stirred and alarm clocks rang all over Hufflepuff house, Zach pulled on his best match robes, laced up his boots, took hold of his broom, pulled back his shoulders and looked at himself in the mirror. Last night was in the past and now Zach had a duty to his house and his team mates. He took a deep breath and set his mind to the fact that he was captain and all hopes for the coming match rested on his shoulders, as did the consequences of failure, but Zach wasn't going to allow such thoughts to bother him now. He strode from the room and called for his team to hurry as he waited for them by the common room fire.

Five minutes later all the Hufflepuff team were gathered round the fire and many of their housemates were seated behind them, Justin, Ernie, Hannah and Susan included.

"Whatever happens," Zach said addressing his team but the silence in the room carried his voice to everyone, "if we should win or lose, remember that we tried our best and that is all that anyone can ask of us." The team nodded and many badgers clapped and cheered.

"And now," Zach said as he addressed the whole house, "let us all eat!" This caused the whole house to cheer and Zach and the team led the way out of the common room towards the Great Hall. The revelry that Zach's words had caused lasted all the way to the entrance hall, where Zach and his team suddenly stopped and stared aghast at the scene that greeted them through the open oak doors.

"Bloody hell," Zach's voice was heard saying as Ernie, Justin, Hannah and Susan quickly made their way through the others to Zach's side.

"Oh brilliant!" Ernie moaned as he and the rest of the sixth years looked out of the huge oak doors at the grounds of Hogwarts, "Absolutely bloody marvellous!" The wind was blowing cruelly and sleets of snow were thundering down to the ground in a wave as the wind whipped around the grounds blowing it into torrents. As the wind blew through the open doors whipped around everyone's ankles and chilled them to the bone.

"Perfect Quidditch conditions, losers!" Malfoy called as he and his Slytherin cronies appeared from their dungeon passage on their way to breakfast with their captain Bole laughing in his troll like laugh.

"Hard luck for us though, isn't it?" said another voice as the badgers turned to see Roger Davis and his Ravenclaw team walking down the marble staircase. "How are you, Macmillan?"

"Fine," Ernie said as he looked up at Roger and smiled weakly while Roger winked and returned the smile with more enthusiasm.

"Only thing we can do is cross our fingers and hope that it's settled for after breakfast, hey, Smith?" Roger said warmly.

"Yeah," Zach agreed, "but if not we've played in worst."

"I like the spirit, Smith," Roger said grinning as both captains clasped hands wishing each other luck and promised to meet again on the pitch.

"We've played in worse?" many of the Hufflepuff team hissed to each other at Zach's lie as the Ravenclaw's passed.

"You're not scared of a bit of snow are you?" Zach asked savagely rounding on them, "We've trained for this, we're prepared! Now let's eat before I starve." The team obeyed and the rest of Hufflepuff house followed.

Breakfast was spent with both Zach and Roger urging their team mates to ignore the slurs and insults that kept drifting over from the Slytherin table, while at the same time forcing them to eat and taking nothing for themselves. Despite their consent rants about breakfast being the most important meal of the day.

Justin and the rest of the sixth year badgers, although wanting to show support for Zach had problems of their own. In the excitement Susan had completely forgotten about her avoidance of Snape and the Great Hall and had followed the rest of her house to the Hufflepuff table. Now Susan was regretting being caught up in the morning's excitement as she kept her head low, and tried hard not to look at the teachers table, while all the time she longed to know whether Snape was looking at her. She thought about leaving but was too scared in case any movement attracted any unwanted attention. Justin couldn't help but roll his eyes at Susan's hushed whispers of 'What's he doing?' and 'Is he looking this way?' and her constant comments about being too close to the teachers table for comfort.

Ernie had given up all pretence of sympathy with Susan as the revelry between the Hufflepuff team grew. Even Justin and Hannah had turned to cheer on their friend and team as Zach stood on his chair looked down at his team grinned then turned and raised his goblet towards Roger and his team.

"I say to you Ravenclaws as I also say to the Badgers who are on this team, I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many minutes of struggle and suffering and I ask of you to do your worst for we will do our best. And so may it be that the most worthy team wins" Zach called, nodded to Roger Davis who smiled and nodded in return. "Then bring it on, bitchboy!"

The whole room erupted in screams, cheers and shocked calls of disbelief at Zach's final words. Even Draco Malfoy found himself laughing as Pansy squealed with glee at the brashness of Zach's use of the English language. Many of the teachers protested and demanded that Professor Sprout deduct house points or call for Zach's captaincy to be revoked. Many of the Ravenclaws were also outraged and Cho Chang was demanding Zach's blood along with many other members of the Ravenclaw team, but Roger merely laughed and raised his voice above the raucous.

"TO THE QUIDDITCH FIELD!" the whole room cheered and as one mass all the students headed towards the doors and towards the Quidditch pitch for what promised to be a very interesting match.

As the students around her began to move Susan immediately saw her chance of escaping the great hall. She ducked under the Hufflepuff table and pushed passed a group of third year Gryffindor's, took great pleasure in elbowing Ron Weasley out of her way and forced her way through the knoll of students exiting through the doors. All the time Susan desperately wanted to look back over her shoulder to see where Snape was, to see if he was watching her every move, but she felt a surge of pride as she resisted this temptation.

She skirted Lavender Brown and the Patil sisters and squeezed herself against the wall and finally through the doors. Out of the hall Susan finally allowed herself to look back into the hall, the teachers table was visible but Snape wasn't to be seen, she turned left as she knew she would have to wait for Hannah and the boys. Her plan was to duck behind one of the large statues that flanked the doors to the Great Hall and wait for the others to enter the entrance hall. But as Susan allowed herself to finally breathe easy and turned towards the statue she collided with something warm and solid and was immediately engulfed in blackness as she and the mass of blackness fell painfully to the ground.

"Watch it, moron!" Susan growled irritably as she pressed down hard onto the person that she had collided with and pushed herself up. Thumping and kicking, both parties fought against each other as each tried to free themselves from their tangled robes.

In the ensuing chaos Susan's legs some how managed to get either side of the person's body and a hand that was not hers groped once at her chest. But as a low growl emitted from the person now lying between Susan's thighs she froze, one of her hands pressed firmly against the man's muscular chest. She had recognized that growl, deep, low and sensual. And as the feel of the man's chest through his shirt sparked a memory that Susan had tried hard to repress over the past few weeks her eyes widened in fear.

"What are you doing, you bumbling fool!" the man's voice called savagely as he grabbed hold of Susan's hand, "If you insist on assaulting something then you can assault the desks in detention tonight!" As he spoke, the man quickly drew himself up to his full, imposing height knocking Susan to the floor as he did so, causing her to land heavily on her arse.

"Miss Bones?" he said as both their eyes met and the awkwardness of the situation was instantly felt by all.

"S-Severus- I mean Sir," Susan mumbled as she stared aghast at the potions master that was now standing in front of her. Susan felt ill. She had tried for weeks to evade Snape but meeting him now, in that position, made her head swim. As did the single thought that had crept into her mind. She out of all the students in the school had just had Severus Snape between her thighs.

"I have been looking for you," he said as he offered her his hand, all shock and anger suddenly gone.

"W-Why?" Susan gulped as with no effort at all he pulled her to her feet. He led her off towards the direction of his office and away from the crowd of students still spilling out of the Great Hall.

After a little delay and some use of their elbows Justin, Ernie and Hannah emerged from the Great Hall hoping to discover that Susan was waiting for them.

"She's probably already down at the pitch wishing Zach luck and perving on the rest of the male team members," Ernie suggested as he pulled his cloak tightly about himself and plunged into the oncoming snow as Justin and Hannah followed suit.

Half the school was making their way down towards to pitch and the rest were either still battling to get out of the Great Hall or already finding the best seats in the stands. It didn't matter that the weather made it almost impossible to see your hand in front of your face or that the snow and wind froze you to your core and threatened to freeze off much loved appendages. This was Quidditch and no matter what the outcome Zach's words had captured the students imagination and had promoted the thing that people love most, the promise of violence and a good old rumble.

The three sixth years hurried towards the Hufflepuff changing room where they found Zach and his team going through last minute strategies, while each member blurted out tips to Mary and suggested to her the best way of staying seated on her broom. Professor Sprout was there too, as were a number of other team member friends, all of who were wishing the team good luck and supporting their mates as best they could.

Sprout smiled as the sixth years barged into the changing room followed by snow and wind that prompted yells of "SHUT THAT DOOR" from Zach's beaters and their fourth year chums.

Busty Lana Love was there supporting her boyfriend Jason, one of Zach's chasers. And gathered timidly in the corner next to Mary were the rest of the first year cubs. The cubs looked even more scared of the forthcoming match then Mary. But Hannah was glad to see that standing next to Mary was Zach. He wasn't speaking or calling out pointer or reminders to his team, but the fact that he, out of all the people in the room looked calm and collected had a very reassuring effect on the others.

"Ah, Miss Abbot, Mr Finch-Fletchley, come to wish them all the best before the game, have you?" Sprout asked happily as Hannah, Justin and Ernie squeezed into the room and nodded.

"But, Ernest I'm disappointed in you," Sprout said looking gravely at Ernie who once more was baffled at being singled out, "As house prefect it's your responsibility to keep check of each and every student's actions. Even those of your friends."

"I don't understand what you're talking about?" Ernie said still wondering what he had done, whilst adding more fuel to his theory that Sprout was out to get him.

"I'm talking about Zacharias's language at breakfast. And the fact that despite his empowering speech he used a few choice words that were not entirely suitable for such a gathering?" Sprout said gravely, "They may have escaped your notice, Mr Macmillan, but I assure you they will not have bypassed the likes of professor Dumbledore or McGonagall."

"But-" Ernie gaped.

"But nothing, Mr Macmillan, as house prefect it is your duty to see to it that nothing like that happens again. If so I will be very displeased." With that, she left calling out once more to the team and wishing them luck.

Ernie was left feeling utterly confused, how was he supposed to keep a check on Zach's foul mouth, let alone the rest of the house? And why was it that Sprout always singled him out for a good ticking off whenever anything went wrong, Hannah was a prefect too. But Ernie wasn't left to ponder this as Zach clapped his hands together and pointed towards the clock on the back wall of the changing room.

"It's time," was all that he said.


	12. Fight the good fight

**A/N: Once more big sloppy et kisses for my wonderful beta. Who for some unknow reason still IS my beta and does a fantastic job. love ya shy!**

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****Chapter 12: Fight the good fight**

Everyone cheered and all the team filed out of the changing room followed by their friends. The snow had eased a little but not by much, and visibility was still minimal. At the tunnel that led onto the pitch the team were bidding their final well wishes as all the groupies hurried off through the snow to find seats. Only Justin, Hannah and Ernie remained. They and Zach stood a little distance behind the team as they waited for Madam Hooch to call them onto the pitch.

"They look scared," Hannah commented to Zach who nodded as they all looked at the white faces of the team as they waited by the tunnel shivering from cold. Some of them, Mary included, looked like they were about to be sick.

"They should be," Zach said in a barely audible voice, "I've pissed Ravenclaw off big time. They aren't going to be showing mercy this match."

"Well we'll make sure Pomfrey gives you the best bed," Ernie joked and Zach smiled weakly.

"We'd better get going, we've still got to find seats," Justin reminded them as he clasped Zach's hand and squeezed his arm, "Good luck mate."

"I appreciate it."

Hannah and Ernie wished him luck too before they all turned into the snow and hurried off towards the Hufflepuff stands.

"Zach!" Justin called back as he reached the wooden steps. Zach turned at the call, "Have you seen Susan?"

"Not since breakfast," Zach called back through the snow that whipped at his face, but at that moment a klaxon sounded and Justin knew that Zach had to go.

"Listen up, team!" Zach called as he hurried towards his team, "We pissed the birdbrains off this morning so they'll want pay back. They'll try to hit hard and as much as they can. They'll try to break our spirit and our bones, and they'll use this weather to their advantage."

"They're tricky little bugger them birds are," Jason said gleefully as he rubbed his hands to stave off the cold.

"They are and that's why we need to concentrate on points. Mary, forget about the Snitch because there's no way you'll see it in this weather. Even Cho will find it damn near impossible," Zach said reassuringly as he gripped Mary's shoulder, "Just mark her, tackle her and keep her out of our way.

"Chasers- points! That's all you need to worry about. Score as many as you can, score them fast, score them quick, and keep them coming, bang, bang, bang. As many as you can." Jason Devlin and Amber McKenna, Hufflepuff's Chasers nodded in agreement.

"Beaters- you know exactly what you need to do. Keep those Bludgers in play but keep them away from our men. We've got other things to worry about besides those skull crushers. Ready?" They all nodded just as Madam Hooch called for them to join her on the pitch.

"Keep up high, the blizzards worse down here but it'll be clearer in the skies. And remember, we're a team so let's think like one," Zach called his last pointers as they walked out onto the frozen field. Some unknown commentator with a voice that could barely be heard over the winds called out their names.

"Players, take up your positions, and captains to me!" Madam Hooch called as the two teams walked onto the pitch and fanned out.

"Captains will shake hands." At this, the usual pre-kick off etiquette, Zach and Roger met in the centre of the field and shook hands. There wasn't any crushing of bones or backbiting comments that were usual with the likes of Slytherin. Both captains, despite Zach's words in the Great Hall, smiled and wished each other good luck before them and the rest of their teams lowered their goggles. Hooch called for them to mount their brooms.

Madam Hooch's whistle blew but its piercing cry hardly carried in the winds. The spectators in the stands only knew that the match had begun when both teams rose into the air and the balls were released. Zach felt a surge of pride at his team mates as they followed his advice and raced up above the snow storm clouds while he and Roger immediately fought for the released Quaffle.

Zach and Roger were the first to come to blows as the fight for who would gain first hold of the Quaffle was always a test of brute force, rather than Quidditch skill. Both captains collided in mid flight as each raced towards the released ball. Arms, hands and legs kicked, punched and grabbed at the opposition as all gentlemanly behaviour and past friendliness instantly faded. Both captains knew that control of the Quaffle was essential and neither was willing to give up on gaining the ball first. Their task was made harder however by the winds and snow that pulled and pushed both captains, and as Rogers elbow collided with Zach's skull, Zach managed to gain the upper hand for a split second and pulled the ball towards him and free from Roger.

Zach lost no time in joining his team mates high above the pitch where, as Zach had promised, the winds were less ferocious making the snow seem less cruel. All of Zach's previous worries and anxieties suddenly faded and the wind blew at him, the feel of his broom suddenly ceased being a lump of bewitched wood and became an extension of his own being. Zach loved this feeling, he loved the freedom and the freshness and exhilaration that flying gave him and he intended to use his new found adrenalin to his advantage.

With his senses now heightened his game took on a new form. It was more instincts and gut feelings that told him where his team mates were, and in the space of thirty seconds, since Madam Hooch had released the balls, Hufflepuff had managed to gain the first advantage.

"Smith has control of the Quaffle!" called the voice of Slytherin's Graham Pritchard, who was commentating, as Justin, Ernie and Hannah hurried along the stands towards the rest of Hufflepuff house. All three stopped and forced themselves to the front of the crowd as Terry called Zach's name. Unconsciously all three badgers knew that now the match had started there was very little point in hurrying towards their housemates. Hannah and Justin cheered as they spotted Zach through the falling snow. Ernie however was looking around at the faces of the people standing next to him. He inwardly groaned as he realised that the spot that the three friends had chosen to stop at was swarming with Gryffindors. He tried to avoid eye contact as he noticed that the four nearest to them was Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and a guy that he was almost positive was called Norbert Longbottom.

Justin had noticed too now, but unlike Ernie the mass of Gryffindors didn't faze him. He nodded to Weasley, said hello to Potter and asked Granger how her Runes homework was going. Which Justin instantly wished he hadn't as soon as the words had left his mouth as Granger leaped at the opportunity of showing off and erupted in a tale of how easy the work had been and wondered if he had found it easy too.

Hannah also didn't mind the close proximity of the Gryffindors. She huddled her cloak around herself as she stood next to Longbottom and managed a weak smile, both she and Longbottom felt unnaturally uncomfortable standing next to each other.

The match continued on pretty much the same footing as Zach had started it off on and despite the conditions Pritchard continued to commentate unfalteringly.

"Smith passes the Quaffle to Devlin, Devlin to McKenna. Smiths back in play!"

Zach sped through the air, dodging team mates, Bludgers and oppositions as though they weren't even there. His mind had channelled out the weather, to him the snow was no longer something that hampered his progression, the wind wasn't a resistance, both were forces that aided his efforts. The wind to carry him and to speed his movements, the snow was cover, a protection from the Ravenclaws. Time also seemed different, it was practically none existent. Zach didn't know whether he had been flying for five minutes or for five hours and quite frankly he didn't care. All that mattered was the game, gaining the Quaffle was one thing, scoring was something completely different.

"Smith is in possession as the Hufflepuff team near the Ravenclaw goal hoops, will Smith score? NO! Smith passes back to Devlin! Is he craz- DEVLIN SCORES!"

The sixth years heard their house mates calling over the noise of the winds. Even Ernie forgot about the surrounding Gryffindors as he yelled and waved his house scarf. Justin and Hannah both clapped and even Potter congratulated them on their goal.

"Ravenclaw's in possession! Bradley to Moore, Moore to Davies, he flips it to Bradley. He's fumbled! The Quaffle is out of possession! Smith picks it up and the balls back in play!"

Despite the weather the match moved quickly. Zach and his Chasers seemed unstoppable, they scored goal after goal and even though the Ravenclaws scored a fair few themselves, Hufflepuff was leading. Zach was amazed at how much the Ravenclaws had taken to heart the words he had spoken at breakfast and he couldn't help but laugh out loud at the stupid mistakes that their anger was making them do. Ben Dover, one of Roger's Chasers had fumbled the Quaffle three times in a row and when he finally did get hold of the ball he tossed it with such force to his team mate, Delilah Bigalow, that she was nearly unseated from her broom. Even the Ravenclaw Beaters seemed so enraged by Zach that they had completely forgotten about the other Hufflepuff players and concentrated all their efforts on attacking him. This of course gave Jason and Amber the freedom that they needed and made Kevin Whitby and Wayne Summers, Zach's Beaters, game simple as they knew exactly where their counterparts were.

As the game progressed Zach settled and he became the captain that he had trained himself to be. His eyes scanned the pitch and skies like eagles. He watched the Ravenclaws and his own team as best he could through the snow. He yelled and gesticulated at his Beaters as they did their best to keep the Bludgers in play at the same time as keeping them away from their own team. Through all of this and his own Chaser duties Zach still managed to keep an eye on the youngest member of his team, Mary, as she flew around high above the stadium marking Cho.

"And Devlin's scored again!" Pritchard's voice called out over the noise of the wind and the roar of the Hufflepuffs. "The Puffs are pulling ahead in what looks to be a phenomenal lead!"

Ernie grumbled to himself at Pritchard's words and was thankful that Susan wasn't with them as he could only imagine her teasing. Hannah and Longbottom were deep in conversation and seemed to have forgotten all about the match. Justin cheered Jason's goal as Granger tried once more to strike up a conversation that was homework related. He prayed that the match wouldn't last any longer as Granger had been buzzing unceasingly about Runes and Arithmancy ever since the six year badgers had arrived. Weasley was glaring at him with murderous eyes and Justin was sure that if he stood still for too long parts of his anatomy that was much loved would begin to freeze.

But it wasn't just the spectators that felt the cruelness of the cold. Zach, despite his exhaustions was also freezing. His nose and ears stung with the onslaught of the snow and winds and Zach was sure that his feet were slowly getting frost bitten.

"SMITH!" Jason called as both players neared each other as they followed behind Amber who had the Quaffle. "I'm freezing my man bits off here! We can't go on in this weather for much longer."

"DON'T BE A WUSS!" Zach called as Amber passed the Quaffle back to him and Zach and Jason took up lead position as Amber fell behind in reserve. But before Zach could say anything else one of the Ravenclaw Beaters had seen their opportunity to send Zach a lethal present. The Bludger struck Zach full on in his chest; he choked and gasped for breath as his head swam between blackness and the world around him. But still he fought on. He threw the Quaffle towards Jason as he slung low onto the front of his broom while the others raced off towards the goal hoops. Slowly Zach felt his wind coming back to him as he gulped down air and he heard a cry far above him. At first he thought it was only the wind but as he looked and the cry came again he realised that it was the call of another player, but not just any. It was Mary.

Zach didn't wait to hear the cry again. He forced his broom into the wind and headed towards the direction he thought he heard the call coming from, all thoughts of the game pushed firmly out of his head. The higher he climbed the clearer the skies became but the winds were more turbulent and colder. Zach shivered in his robes as his gloved hands slipped slightly on his wet broom handle. He could see Mary now, not too far above him, maybe fifty yards, Zach guessed as he struggled to force his broom forwards through the on coming winds.

"HELP!" Mary cried as she saw Zach approach. Mary was clutching desperately at the head of her broom as she struggled to keep the brooms head vertical.

"What's happened?" Zach called as he kicked his broom forward and grabbed hold of Mary's broom's head. But his question was answered as soon as his hands took hold of the cold wood and he realised that the head of Mary's broom was covered in thick ice. Zach didn't need to be told what had happened; his mind worked that out quickly enough. The freezing temperatures above the snow clouds had quickly turned the water on Mary's broom into an icicle making the broom too heavy for Mary to control.

"Try to hold your broom as still as you can!" Zach called as he immediately reached for his wand. "I'm going to melt the ice. Don't worry you'll be fine." Zach smiled his most cocksure grin and winked. Mary nodded tears streaming from her eyes, she was terrified. Zach cursed Susan for involving the poor cub in her crazy plans and all that Zach could say to reassure Mary was to tell her not to worry. But as Zach pulled his wand free from his robes a strong gust of wind blew the two brooms together. Mary screamed as her broom bucked and she grabbed hold of Zach's arm knocking his wand free.

"Bloody hell!" Zach cursed to himself as he watched his wand spiralling into the clouds below as Mary clung to him.

"Hold on!" Zach called as his broom bucked when another blast of air hit them. The brooms suddenly pulled apart and as Zach's broom bucked upwards, Mary's broom began a nose dive. Mary clutched desperately to Zach as her broom fell into a corkscrew and followed the descent of Zach's wand. But as Zach tried to pull Mary onto his broom he could feel his gloved hands slipping on her sleeve. No matter how hard he tried Zach couldn't get any grip. He stared in disbelief as the scene before him played out in slow motion. He saw Mary's arm slipping further and further through his grip, he could hear the ripping of her sleeve but yet there was nothing he could do to save her. Finally Mary's sleeve gave way and she too fell plummeting into the clouds below.

Zach wasted no time as he immediately kicked his broom into action and pointed its head into a steep dive following after Mary's screams. The wind whipped at him and stung his cheeks. He crashed through the clouds as they hit him hard like undergrowth and he felt their pull on this robes and hoped that they had slowed Mary's fall slightly. Zach tried to concentrate his thoughts as he felt bile rising from his stomach while desperate thoughts ran through his head. He cursed Susan and he cursed Dumbledore for his lack of presence at this match after he had always been there when Potter needed saving. But the most prominent was the fact that Zach knew the limitations of his broom and that without his wand Mary's chances looked slim.

He tried unsuccessfully to convince himself that he had done this sort of thing a thousand times before. Catching heavy falling objects was what Zach did best but this was ridiculous. Zach knew it was, Mary wasn't a Quaffle and her weight pulled her earth bound faster then a magically enchanted red ball. Zach emerged from the clouds, still driving his broom earth bound as he looked about for Mary. Below the clouds the snow was still falling thick and fierce, the winds were strong and Zach was scared that Mary had been blown too far out of his reach. But as soon as this thought entered Zach's head he saw her not too far below and he urged his broom on, begging for it to move faster and faster. Zach could now hear the crowds cheering and yelling but their yells turned to screams and gasps as they saw Mary fall but there was nothing they could do but watch.

"NO!" Hannah gasped as she clung to Neville in fear as she and the others saw Mary emerge out of the clouds. Justin and Ernie rushed to front of the stand and stared helplessly as Mary plummeted downwards.

"Somebody help her!" Hannah yelled tears welling up in her eyes. "Somebody do something please!" Justin had instinctively grabbed hold of wand but as he was racking his brains trying to find a spell that could help Mary Ernie yelled and pointed.

"IT'S ZACH!" Ernie cried as he practically jumped for joy and pointed at his friend as he watched Zach desperately trying to reach Mary.

"He isn't going to make it!" Hannah screamed as she clutched tightly to Neville's arm.

"Oh yes he is!" Justin yelled as he pointed his wand at Mary and yelled, "Dissendo!"

Zach's ears filled with the screams of the students in the stands, part of him wished that he had never tried to save Mary. He didn't think he could live with the consequences if the worst did happen. Zach once more urged his broom downwards and cursed his father for not buying him latest model when he had asked. But just as the ground was looming up on Mary, Zach found himself moving closer and closer, almost as if Mary was slowing down. The closer she came to the ground within seconds Zach was upon her. He grabbed at Mary's robes and pulled her close, gripping her tightly about the waist.

They were feet from the ground, Zach tried to pull his broom upwards but with only one free arm and their combined weight Zach only managed to lift the broom's nose slightly. Zach kicked his feet free from his brooms stirrups and dived left off his broom pulling Mary with him. They both landed heavily on the ground, Mary falling on top of Zach as the pair rolled across the ground while Zach's broom ploughed deeply into the soil. The broom dug a deep trench into the pitch and Zach groaned as finally he and Mary ceased cart-wheeling across the grounds. Mary was still crying as Zach painfully pulled himself out from under her. His ribs hurt like they were on fire, his hand that had gripped hold of Mary was sore, and every appendage felt frostbitten.

"Y-You saved me!" Mary sobbed as she turned and hugged Zach causing him to wince in pain while cries of 'what happened?' reached his ears and his team rushed towards them. Madam Hooch was calling for someone to fetch madam Pomfrey as she too rushed towards Zach and Mary.

"What happened? Who's winning?" Zach called as he saw Jason and Amber running towards them.

"Sorry mate," Jason said sadly as he helped Zach to his feet, Mary still desperately clinging onto his neck, "Cho caught the snitch, they beat us 210 to 160"

"Oh," was all that Zach said as he nodded slowly. His neck felt painful and his head swam. Even breathing hurt and he shuddered with each breath as pain shot throughout his body and darkness descended.

"What happened to him?" Zach heard voices saying as he slowly started to come round. He could feel the warmth of soft sheet surrounding him and his head, bruised and bandaged, was still tender.

"Apparently he fainted," Zach heard Jason's voice say, immediately Zach's eyes shot wide open.

"I didn't faint," Zach protested angrily, immediately wishing he hadn't when the pain in his head returned and his whole body protested at his movements as he struggled to sit up. "I- I passed out through-through manly exhaustion."

"Manly exhaustion!" Jason laughed throwing his head back as he did so. Busty Lana Love was there too and as Zach looked around he could see all his team, Justin, Hannah and Ernie as well as most of Hufflepuff house.

"Faint is the proper medical term, Mr Smith," Madam Pomfrey said tartly as she approached and poured a thick black liquid onto a spoon before proceeding to force it down Zach's throat making him gag at its foul taste. "Now if you all don't mind you can see that your friend has regained his faculties. You can all retire to your house and leave him to recoup in peace."

All the Badgers nodded and proceeded to leave. Justin, Hannah and Ernie quickly said their goodbyes and together they all headed towards their common room. Mary was the last to leave.

"Thank you," she said timidly as she stood by the foot of Zach's bed looking extremely nervous. "I'm so sorry I kicked you in the head when we fell." Zach smiled, thinking it was more than his head that she had kicked in and his ribs felt as though a horse had fallen on him. But despite this he was glad that Mary wasn't hurt.

"You're welcome," Zach said, "I'm just glad you're ok." Zach threw Mary one of his more charming grins and winked. At this Mary's face shot into a full smile and turned an unsightly shade of red as she rushed out of the room giggling. Zach sighed and knew that Mary was now another full fledged member of his pre-teen fan club, and cursed himself for encouraging it.

It was quiet in the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey was busy in her office and as Zach sat in his bed listening to the falling snow his eye lids began to feel heavy. Just as he was dozing, the sound of the infirmary door opening woke him. Zach stared in astonishment as Pansy Parkinson entered the ward.

"Oh, hi," Pansy said sounding slightly nervous, "I-I thought you'd be asleep by now I didn't want to disturb you, but I thought you'd want this back." Pansy walked towards Zach's bed and held out his broom, it was in perfect condition. Zach loved his broom and even though he did secretly believe that it held more magical powers than usual, there was no way that it could have survived hitting the ground with the force that it had and coming out unscathed.

"I-errr- I found this too," Pansy said as she retrieved from her robes pocket Zach's wand, "You'll be needing it soon."

"Thanks!" Zach said, still slightly confused at who his visitor was, but he smiled nonetheless and as he took his wand his had brushed against Pansy's. Pansy withdrew her hand quickly as though she had just received an electric shock and looked at Zach with eyes that almost seemed to plead with him to say something.

"Thanks," Zach uttered again and gave his bedside table a few sharp whacks with his wand for good measure. "Thanks for this."

"Well-err-goodnight," Pansy said hurriedly before she left. Leaving Zach feeling terribly confused as to what had just happened.

Justin, Hannah, Ernie and the rest of Hufflepuff house made their way back to their common room all of them was discussing the match and Zach's save of Mary. Everyone was praising Zach and Jason and his girlfriend Lana were planning a party in Zach's honour.

"You should tell them," Ernie hissed to Justin, "Zach would never have caught her if you hadn't cast that spell to slow Mary's descent."

"Yes, but Justin didn't catch her," Hannah hissed back.

"So," Ernie said indifferently, "if it was me, I'd be boasting it. You deserve some of the credit too, you know."

"Maybe," Justin said amicably, "But Zach did the hard work. Besides, for the pain he's going through he earned the credit, not me."

"Well said," Hannah said smiling as she and the other sixth years finally entered the common room.

"Where have you been!" Justin called angrily across the common room as he spotted Susan sitting on her pink inflatable chair. She was pretending to read a copy of Advanced Potions but Justin instantly knew that the book was just to hide the fact that she was grinning like mad.

"I've been here all the time," Susan said blissfully, "Didn't much like the idea of going outside today. Too cold you see." She pretended to shiver as if to show the others how cold she thought it was.

"We were worried!" Justin continued his rage as he hurried across towards Susan.

"No, you were worried," Ernie corrected and added slyly, "I bet she was having it away with some young pup or other."

"Don't tease," Hannah hissed tartly as they too joined Susan and Justin at their usual seats.

"So, where have you been?" Justin asked again, this time with a better hold on his temper.

"Around," said Susan evasively as she grinned, "Working up a sweat if you must know." At this Ernie practically cackled with laughter as Justin and Hannah shared confused looks. "So how did we do?" Susan asked as she quickly changed the subject.

"If you really cared you'd have been there," Justin spat, "but we lost. Again! And Zach and Mary were nearly killed."

"What?" gasped Susan, her grin finally faded as she looked about the common room spotting Mary but not Zach. "Where is he? Is he ok?"

"He'll be fine," Hannah reassured her, "Pomfrey's keeping him in over night. She said he's broken a few ribs and hit his head hard but he'll mend."

"Zach always does. He's built to last," Ernie said grinning.

As the following day was a Sunday the merry making in the Hufflepuff common room lasted well into the small hours. Many of the seventh years goaded the younger badgers into running a supply train from the kitchens, that was until Professor Sprout caught them and gave them all detentions. She also gave Ernie another lecture on how to keep the younger years in line.

It was well past two in the morning when Hannah and Susan retired to their room. Susan was still wearing her stupid grin and Hannah had finally grown tired of it.

"Why didn't you come to see the match?" Hannah asked as both girls prepared for bed.

"I told you. I just didn't feel like leaving the castle," Susan said still grinning and added under her breath, "I had other incentives." Not understanding Susan wasn't something new to Hannah, she shrugged, just like she usually did and gave up trying to fathom out her friend.

"Goodnight. Sweet dreams. Don't let the bed bugs bite," Hannah called as both girls snuggled deep into their beds, both grateful for the warmth. At Hannah's words Susan smiled to herself. Zach wasn't the only one, who had had an exhausting day. And as Susan smiled she knew that tonight she needn't be dreaming about Snape fantasies any longer.


	13. The parting of the ways

AN: I would like to dedicate this chapter to Banoffee who helped to re-spark my enthusiasm for this fic…what can I say I'm a sucker for puppy dog eyes:)

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**Chapter 13: - The parting of the ways**

"You'll just be in time for lessons," Madam Pomfrey said smiling as though it was a great treat for Zach to be released from the infirmary early Monday morning. Zach however didn't see anything great about it, his head was still hurting, his body was stiff and his ribs still felt sore making Zach wince every time he breathed. All in all Zach felt like the last thing he wanted to do was to subject himself to four hours of lessons before lunch.

'Besides, I'll be no use to anyone in my state,' Zach told himself. Reasoning to himself that even if he did go, the pain that he felt would impede his ability to concentrate. With his mind made up, he bid Madam Pomfrey farewell, promised to continue the course of medications she had given him and hurried out of the infirmary. Zach strutted off down the empty corridor grinning to himself. Even now he could picture his friends being subjected to double Charms, followed by double Potions, or in Hannah's case, Charms and History of Magic. Zach could imagine their faces as they entered the common room, exhausted and completely void of life, to find Zach comfortably seated in his favourite spot reading comics and eating junk food. Chuckling to himself about his plan, Zach ducked through a secret passageway hidden behind a tapestry and headed up the stairs that were hidden there.

Not many people knew of this passage and Zach was certain that none of the current Hogwarts students had traversed these corridors in years. A thick layer of dust lay on the steps that Zach climbed and the passage itself was pitch dark. But Zach knew this passage, and many more, like the back of his hand and didn't need light to make his way through them. He hadn't gone far when he heard a noise up ahead. Zach paused and strained his ears to listen. Slowly the noise grew and Zach could make out voices and footsteps.

"Who's there?" Zach called, instinctively going for his wand. At his call the noises stopped. After a few seconds Zach heard a low hissing and knew that whoever was in front of him were debating with each other what to do next.

"Lumos!" Zach called growing tired of the others lack of decision. Zach's charm cast the whole corridor into light. Blinking Zach could make out the faces of the three people standing before him. Inwardly he groaned as he recognised the gold and scarlet ties of Gryffindor and the faces or Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

"You!" Zach and the others chorused all at once as comprehension dawned on them all. Zach grinned as he noticed that the golden trio in front of him all had their wands pointing towards him.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Ron asked his tone some what implying that Zach shouldn't be there.

"What happened to a pleasant good morning?" Zach said sarcastically ignoring Weasley's tone, "and whatever business I have that brings me this way is of no concern to you."

"Ron didn't mean it that way," Granger chipped in apologising for her friend, "It's-well, it was just a surprise to see someone else here that's all."

"Isn't it just," Zach said forcing a smile on his face as he remembered why he disliked Ron and Hermione so much. Ron had no backbone and Hermione's whiny apologetic voice was always so annoying. Potter was the best of a bad bunch, but even he annoyed Zach. It was the superior attitude and the fact that nothing Potter did was ever wrong.

"You played a good match," Potter called his tone almost hinting a slight admiration at Zach's ability. But Zach still vehemently believed in his imagined rivalry with Potter and in the darkness he scowled to himself before muttering his thanks.

"We're calling another DA meeting this week," Granger said as a silence threatened to fall on the four figures, "so keep an eye on your coins-"

"That's if you think it's safe to come," Ron hurried to add, "The Creevey brothers aren't pleased at you putting their little sister in danger." Zach knew that the red head was grinning at his own words.

"I would never intentionally endanger any of my team, and if the Creevey brothers have a problem with me, let them take it up with me themselves," Zach hastened to say as he struggled against his feelings of blasting Ron there and then. Zach supposed that his more rational side, that occasionally had a few lurid moments of exertion, knew that a DA meeting was a better situation to make an attack on Weasley seem like a mere accident than an encounter in a dark and secret stairwell. Grinning at this thought, and bidding the three Gryffindor's adieu, Zach pushed passed them with the intentions of emerging on the fifth floor landing and slipping into another passageway that would emerge close to the Hufflepuff common room. But Zach had hardly started on his way when the voice of Hermione rang clearly in his ears.

"Aren't you going the wrong way? You've got Charms with us this morning." Zach cursed her and growled low under his breath as he spun round quickly to face Hermione, but doing so made his head swim and his ribs hurt even more as the low growl that he emitted reverberated through his body. Breathing deeply and concentrating on the pain that issued throughout his being Zach resigned himself to the laborious task of double Charms followed by the prospect that was double Potions. All his malevolent thoughts towards Hermione tripled with each step. The pain in Zach's chest screamed for his attention as he followed behind the golden trio. Ron continuously shot venomous glances at him as he walked next to Harry, where, as Hermione insisted on, talking to Zach all the way towards the classroom as though she was a person who had been starved of any form of human contact for many years.

"Poor thing," Hannah said as Zach finished telling his friends all about his encounter with the Gryffindor's and the fact that there was to be another DA meeting that week.

"So I guess it's back to coin watching again," Ernie said fingering the Golden Galleon that he had removed from his pocket, "I think it's rather rude that they never tell us a time and date before hand. They just assume we've got nothing better to do."

"You haven't got anything better to do," Susan said grinning as she took the coin and looked at the markings on the side of it. "Besides, this will never tell you anything. It's a real coin."

"Bugger!" Ernie groaned as he took the coin back and began to scrutinise it. "I must have spent my DA one."

"Ernie!" Hannah chastised.

"Well, I know I did," Zach confessed without the least bit of regret in his voice.

"Zach, how could you?" asked Hannah sternly.

"How couldn't I more like!" Zach retorted grinning. "My best broom needed its cushioning charm renewed, best Galleon I've ever spent." Hannah crossed her arms and glared at her friend's callousness as Susan, Ernie and even Justin laughed out loud at Zach's statement. A few rebuking comments from Flitwick soon ended the friends' laughter but Hannah's displeasure lasted for the remainder of the lesson. And so it was Hannah bid her friends a speedy farewell as she hurried off to her next lesson, not even giving the others a backwards glance.

"What's wrong with her?" Ernie asked as the remaining badgers made their way towards Potions.

"Same as always," Zach observed cruelly, "feelings of inadequacy more then likely. She sees Granger's coins as everything she isn't; clever, inspirational and a damn good bit of magic."

"How very astute of you," Justin said as Susan threw the boys one of Hannah's trade mark dirty looks, expressing his disgust at the current topic of discussion.

"Don't be mean. Han's worth a hundred Hermione Grangers. So she might not be as clever as her but who is? At least Hannah has human qualities which is more then can be said about Granger. She's cold, analytical and doesn't even understand the most basic of human emotions."

"She's just logical," Justin defended Granger without even knowing why. He had never done so in the past and he disliked the Gryffindor as much as the others. But he guessed that the reason that he had said what he had was due to Susan. All through the weekend she had been in a state of excitement. It wasn't so much as through actions and through words that Justin had perceived this. On the contrary, Susan had said or done very little after she had reappeared after the Quidditch match. This in itself was extremely un-Susan like.

Most of Sunday she had sat in the common room with a small smile on her lips and a far away stare on her features refusing to tell any of them why. At first Justin and the others were just pleased that their friend's attitude had changed from that of the previous weeks. It seemed as though Susan was becoming her regular self. She no longer brooded or cowered away from company; she joined her friends in the common room with no resistance and laughed at their jokes. Come Monday morning she was the first student in Hufflepuff house to wake, dress and be ready for class, and so it was only natural for Justin to wonder what had brought on such a dramatic change in his friend in such a short period of time.

But Justin didn't need to be the second most intelligent student at Hogwarts to figure out that Snape valued somewhere in the equation. His suspicion was confirmed as the badgers neared their second double class of the day to find their most loathsome teacher standing outside. Justin found that the very sight of this man riled his senses and made him instinctively clutch his wand. Snape greeted all the students with his sullen sneer but as the badgers approached Justin was certain that his eyes shone with excitement as they looked directly at Susan and a small smile pulled at the corner of Snape's mouth.

"Morning, sir!" Susan beamed happily as she looked their professor in the eyes, flicked her pig tails over her shoulder and strolled into the class with a grin playing over her features. All through that double lesson Justin felt ill at ease as he scrutinised their professor's face and movements. A small smile here, a hand gesture or movement there, and Justin's analytical mind raced with thoughts and ideas that appalled and disgusted him. Had there really been something between them? Something more than a pupil teacher relationship, the very idea appalled him. Weren't there rules against that sort of thing? For the remainder of the day Justin couldn't shake the sickening feeling that _his _Susan had some how been violated by this loathsome man.

"Give it a rest will you!" Zach growled as the boys sat in their dorm room that night. Ernie was sat perusing the centre fold image of the Windborne Wasp's first team in Zach's latest copy of Quidditch weekly. As Justin told and retold his friends his thoughts about Snape's conduct, he began to elevate his growing stress in his most favourite way by tying and re-tying his tie in a flourish of turns, twirls and twists to achieve a perfect 'Plattsburgh tie knot'.

"Haven't we been over this?" Ernie commented callously, "I mean, didn't this exact same topic arise the last time Susan went off on her Snape induced escapades?"

"Exactly!" Zach roared pleased to know that at least one of his friends felt the same as he did. "If it has happened, it's happened. There's nothing we can do about it. Susan will be happy, Snape will most definitely be happy-"

"It's probably his first time!" Ernie commented.

"I don't even want that mental image!" Zach groaned as he shivered.

"I can't believe you two!" Justin raged as he turned on his friends. Justin had thought that if anyone was to care about the well being of Susan, other then himself, it would have been Zach and Ernie. "What he's done is illegal-"

"If he's actually done anything," interrupted Ernie, "You've no proof." Justin opened his mouth to reply but his words were cut off as a sudden glow emanated from his bedside table. All three badgers turned towards the corner of the room and looked upon the object that had, for a slit second illuminated their dorm.

"Bloody Potter," Zach growled his chest and head suddenly hurting once more.

"The meeting is tonight," Justin said as he took hold of the coin and read the date inscribed on its side. Both Ernie and Zach groaned.

Fifteen minutes later and half of Hufflepuff house could be found traversing the network of passageways that separated their common room from that of the DA meeting room. The hardest thing about moving so many people was the fear that at any moment someone would find them. That and that it was damn near impossible to coax the older girls into silence. Justin and Hannah seemed to be the only ones that actually cared if they were caught and both breathed a sigh of relief as the last of the stragglers entered the meeting room.

Once more Justin couldn't help but grin at the lack of attendance on the side of the Gryffindor's and Ravenclaw's, even Potter congratulated the Hufflepuffs on such a good turnout and Justin knew that he wasn't the only badger that felt proud of his house. But after an hour Justin was starting to bore, he could think of a hundred better ways of spending the evening and the images of the unspeakable things that Snape might have done to his precious Susan was making him wish that he could remember the correct incantation of the Forgetfulness charm that Zach had cast on Vincent Crabbe in fourth year.

"Your thinking of Potions, aren't you?" a small voice buzzed besides Justin's ear as his thoughts were broken and he turned to look at the person that had distracted him.

"Granger!" Justin said his voice betraying his feelings of shock and confusion at the Gryffindor's presence as she settled herself on a nearby cushion. Justin couldn't help but wonder if she had somehow read his thoughts.

"It's a stinker of an assignment, isn't it?" Granger said her cheeks turning as red as her ears as they stuck out from her mass of brown hair. "I was so thrilled when professor Snape set such a challenging piece…oh I know it doesn't appear to be difficult, not on face value anyway, but when you start thinking about all the different possibilities it has and the different views that the assignment could lead you to explore it really makes you think doesn't it?"

"Oh, homework!" Justin said as he allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief. How could Justin have even thought that Granger had read his mind? Sure she was clever but even Granger wasn't able to be a competent leggothing at her age.

"Yes, homework," Granger continued a small smile played on her features at the thought that homework wasn't Justin's main concern. "I mean, yes it seems daunting but I'm sure we'll do fine, right?"

"Yes I'm sure we will," Justin replied, he was growing tired of this. Ordinarily homework and class assignments was a topic that Justin was willing to spend hours of devotion to, it was his favourite topic of conversation and he loved to discuss and compare revision plans and study notes with anyone that was willing to listen, and in most cases with those that weren't. But Granger's awkward and almost forced casual tone of voice was beginning to annoy Justin as was the fact that she was talking during one of her beloved Potters classes, a thing that Granger would have hexed anyone else for.

"Well I was thinking," Granger continued, "that seeing how this year is an important year for grades…I was thinking that maybe you could partner me?"

"YOU'RE WORKING WITH GRANGER!" Susan yelled as she thundered down the corridor following the others. The DA meeting had ended and the Hufflepuffs were making their way back towards their common room. All thoughts of keeping quiet as they traversed the maze of corridors had been forgotten as Susan indignantly protested the very thought of the Hufflepuff Gryffindor partnership. "You're going to partner Granger? That's stupid!"

"Actually I think it's a brilliant idea," Zach beamed as he herded the first year cubs down the hall. After his release from hospital Mary and the rest of the cubs had taken to following Zach like lost little puppies, all of them in awe of the brave soul that had risked his life to save that of their friend.

"You think it's good?" Susan yelled her anger increasing as her voice rose an octave.

"You bet," Zach continued regardless. "If Justin and Granger hook up then Justin would be in a prime position to find out tactical information about Potter's Quidditch plans. Not to mention how off putting it would be for Potter in having his main squeeze with another guy!"

"Zach, it's just homework," Hannah quickly added as she tried to bring some perspective to the conversation.

"Just homework! Susan raged her voice raising another octave. "For normal people like you and me that's fine, but for those two it's practically foreplay!"

"Foreplay?" Quizzed a soft majestic voice behind the badgers that made all of them freeze in their tracks. No one wanted to turn to face the figure and the light blue eyes that all knew was behind them waiting. It was Zach who was the first to move.

"Professor Dumbledore," Zach said smiling his most charming smile as the first years shrank behind him, cowering in their headmaster's shadow and holding onto the thing that they now trusted to protect them more then anything else.

"I assume I heard correctly," the headmaster said saintly. He looked from face to face, his dressing gown pulled tight around him and his night cap drooping on one side, "but my old ears aren't what they use to be."

"I think you must have misheard us, sir," Zach said grasping at the escape that had been offered.

"Well it is possible," Dumbledore acknowledged humbly, "After all it is late. But you all should know the rules about students out after hours. Very rarely have I seen such a mass of students disobeying school rules, hurry along."

Susan didn't say another word as the badgers hurried back towards the common room, but as she disappeared off towards her dorm Justin could hear her protesting the partnership once more as she hurried off with busty Lana and Hannah in tow.

Justin couldn't help but smile. For years he had laid awake agonizing over Susan's philandering ways but tonight it felt good to be on the other side of this particular proverbial fence. Justin knew he should tell the truth sooner or later but at this moment in time Justin was leaning towards later rather than sooner.

'Besides,' he thought as he undressed and pulled himself into bed, 'if Susan and the others could actually believe that I would seriously consider partnering Granger then they deserved to be laughed at.' Just like he himself had nearly laughed at Granger. Yes, the idea in principal was good, two of the best students working together would churn out fantastic results, but it was Granger's conceit that had enraged him of her, of asking HIM to be HER partner. Not the other way round or even as equals!

Granger had said it as if he had needed her help to get the highest grades. But this year he was determined to get them even if it killed him. But even at this happy thought, Justin's mind turned towards Susan and a little part of him was glad that she had reacted the way she had. Yes it was mean to let Susan think that Justin was really going to team up with Granger, a person that almost all of the Hufflepuffs disliked for one reason or another. But that news wouldn't hurt Susan half as much as the images that still flashed through Justin's head of Susan and Snape. As his head touched his pillow Justin couldn't help but smile that finally Susan was getting a taste of her own medicine.


	14. Prelude to the Holidays

AN: Hope you all like it:)

* * *

**Chapter 14: Prelude to the Holidays**

The last few days of the school term had started to creep slowly upon the students; most were abuzz with the excitement that the season was bringing. But a few, a very small few, in fact only two students had their minds preoccupied with class assignments and homework. On the morning of the last day of term Justin could be found sat in the library, buried behind a pile of dusty old text books. Sat a few tables away was Granger. Both sixth years were planning and re-planning revision tables and study notes that they intended to learn over the holidays.

"I told you we'd find him here," Zach crowed in triumph as he, Susan, Ernie, Hannah and all the first year cubs entered the library. "You're crazy, mate. Christmas is supposed to be about presents and stuffing your face full of food, not revision and study plans."

"Funny that?" Susan mocked as she shot Granger a look of dislike before turning her attention to her imaginary split ends. "I thought it was about being with the ones you loved. Granger isn't popping round this year, is she, Justin?"

Justin couldn't help but laugh at the bitterness in Susan's voice. It had been three days since the DA meeting and Justin still hadn't told the others that he had declined Granger's offer. Justin had originally planned to tell the others the following day, but the morning after the meeting had been a strange one. He had waited for the others to arrive in the common room as usual, and not one of them had mentioned the night before. But as Susan arrived, looking even more beautiful than ever, she had pretended that Justin hadn't even been there. It wasn't until they had entered the Great Hall for breakfast that she even acknowledged his presence, and that was as the group passed by the Gryffindor table.

Susan had stopped abruptly and turned in her tracks, causing Zach to grin and Justin to wish that he was dead or that he had not decided to play silly games with his friends. But at that moment Justin had felt like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. He was unable to move or speak, and all he could do was helplessly watch as Susan elbowed Weasley out of her way and pushed herself in next to Granger.

"I heard about your proposal last night," Susan said in a very sympathetic voice, "Que sera sera, no hard feelings, eh?" With that Susan smiled her sweetest smile and patted a very confused looking Granger on her back as she threw Ron a sly wink.

She headed off towards the Hufflepuff table leaving Ron Weasley muttering about the strangeness of girls as his eyes followed Susan all the way to her seat.

Justin had wondered if Susan had guessed that he had been lying, but nothing else led him to think that Susan, or the others, believed anything other than what he had told them.

Other than this, and the dirty looks that Susan occasionally gave Granger whenever the Gryffindor was in sight, all of the Badgers' lives had continued as normal. Zach was increasingly in danger of being hero worshipped by the cubs.

They followed him around during all their free time, clamouring for his help on assignments, and begging if they too could one day get a place on the Quidditch team, just like Mary. Zach secretly was loving the attention, and finally, after years of wishing that his fan club consisted of more then just pre-pubescent giggly third, second and first years, his rescue of Mary at the Quidditch match had made him one of the more highly sort after males in the school.

Hannah continued her silent vigil over the cubs and struggled through her classes looking forward to her holidays. She was missing her family like mad and couldn't wait to get home to see how things had changed. She wondered if her mother had watered her plant, or if her father had finally redecorated the living room (like he had been promising to do for the past six months). But most of all, she was looking forward to buying her friends and family gifts, and finally getting to eat her mothers cooking.

Ernie on the other hand was looking forward to the holidays for another reason.

He was once more becoming more and more determined that Professor Sprout was victimising him. But now he was no longer alone in his belief. The morning before the last day of term saw all the students at Hogwarts in a state of excited anticipation. Spirits were high, and so were voices, as the jovialness of the season started to show.

"I'm thinking of staying over the holidays," Susan had announced to the sixth years as she shot a quick glance over at the teacher's table where Snape sat. Justin tried hard to pretend that he hadn't seen the small smile that passed between his friend and the loathsome professor, but he couldn't help shuddering slightly as his blood began to boil. Fortunately Zach's outburst removed Susan's attention from him.

"Oh you are not!" Zach said his brow furrowed in disgust as he turned in his seat to look at the object of Ernie's attention. Ernie had been seated facing the Ravenclaw's, his head resting on his hand with his spoon paused motionlessly in the air. His gaze was firmly fixed on Roger Davis. "Close your mouth, you're drooling onto your cornflakes."

"Am not!"

"Yes you are, it's pathetic," Zach moaned, the two bickering like a married couple, "Besides, Davis isn't gay. I've played Quidditch with him, we've shared the same dressing room as him, and I've even showered with the guy. There is no way that Roger Davis is one of you."

"You think so?" commented Susan slyly, her attention momentarily drawn from Snape.

"I know for sure," Zach said.

"But he's too good looking not to be," Hannah giggled.

"He's good looking ergo all of us have to be gay?" Zach said with confidence, obviously pleased at his own words.

"No, just the good looking ones," Ernie laughed as he finally stuffed the spoon and its contents into his mouth.

"I'm good looking!" Zach protested as he picked up his spoon and looked at his reflection lovingly. "Look at this face! It screams that one is one damn sexy beast!"

"Sophistication with a touch of animal magnetism?" Susan chuckled.

"What girl can't resist a touch of the dark side?" Justin growled under his breath as he once more noticed that Susan's gazes had drifted back to the teachers' table at her comment. The others seemed oblivious, or had just ceased caring.

"No," Ernie said, "your face screams: I'm Zacharias Smith, tall, skinny, blond, with an up-turned nose and a loud mouth! And as for babe magnet, I've seen children cry when they first see you. Heaven forbid you breed."

"Finally someone who agrees with me," said a cold voice that made all the Badgers look to see Draco Malfoy and his two pet gorillas standing directly behind them. "It makes a refreshing change to see a fellow Pureblood outside of Slytherin believe in the sanctity of blood."

"Ernie would never agree with your beliefs," Susan spat, her temper pricked at Draco's comments as she finally turned her attentions away for the teachers' table. Susan wasn't the type to stand idly by at such an attack on her friends and she had never feared Draco. "There's no such thing as the sanctity of blood. Even the purest of us are half bloods or less, even you, in your twisted little psycho world, know that!"

"You should learn to hold your tongue," Draco hissed his pale skin burning slightly at Susan's words. "But I shouldn't have expected anything less from a member of your family. They're nothing but blood traitors."

"Sod off, Malfoy, before I rearrange that pretty little face of yours," Zach growled as both he and Malfoy exchanged murderous looks. Draco stood for a second longer before turning and moving away, his two pets following at his heels.

"Why do you two always have to antagonise him?" Hannah commented as she shivered in her seat. As a muggle born Hannah had always been cautious of Draco and his Slytherin goons.

"He makes my skin crawl," Susan said her voice full of hate as she took no heed in lowering her voice as she spoke. "It's families like his that put the name of wizard to shame. I don't know why the whole lot of them can't get Dragon pox and die."

At Susan's words Draco had turned on his heels, his eyes burning with hate as he gripped his wand and raised it, but Zach was quicker. His chair went flying as he launched himself forwards and across the table crashing into Draco and tackling him to the ground. As the two boys fell, both punching and kicking at each other, the hall erupted into chaos.

"FIGHT!" Jason Devlin called as he jumped from his seat pulling Lana with him with the rest of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team followed suit.

"Punch him in the jaw!" yelled first year Edwina Cadwallader as she and the other cubs clambered onto their seats excitedly to see the fight. Cho Chang and her Ravenclaw friends screamed in fright as the two boys crashed down near their table. But by now the whole hall were straining their necks or rushing forwards to see the promised entertainment.

The whole room was buzzing with excitement at the fight. Many Slytherins were hissing curses as many others yelled on.

"STOP THIS NOW!" Dumbledore called. He was the first out of his seat as he called for calm. His booming voice made many gasp in fear as they turned to see who had yelled. Others quickly hurried back to their seats as the heads of houses rushed to the centre of the activity.

"Here is the problem, headmaster," McGonagall called as she extracted both Zach and Draco from the knoll of students, holding them both hard by the ear. "Brawling like common Muggles."

"You say that like it's a bad thing-ouch." Zach squirmed as the head of Gryffindor pinched his ear harder for his cheek, before handing the two boys over to their corresponding heads of houses. Sprout looked furious as she pulled Zach towards herself and called for a very bewildered Ernie to follow.

"Brawling!" Sprout spat as she dragged the two boys into her office. "Hufflepuffs brawling in the Great Hall! I've seen some things as head of this house but you really do test the boundaries, Zacharias."

"I couldn't help but not do it," Zach said innocently. Zach had had the pleasure of standing before professor Sprout on many similar occasions and was well versed in what to say. "Every time I see that wretched waste of a human, it's like my fists have this uncontrollable urge to make contact with his face."

"I am not amused, Smith."

"I'm not sorry for hitting him, and I'm not going to apologise for it either," Zach spat before adding in a more respectful tone, "Professor." Sprouts furry vanished in an instant as she sat in her chair and looked at the determined expression on Zach's face as he stood before her.

"I know perfectly well that Draco Malfoy is able to try the patience of most of us, and so I know that a person of your nature, Zacharias really doesn't stand a chance," Sprout said, "But please be aware that your place on the house Quidditch team really is a luxury that can be removed as I see fit!"

"You wouldn't!" Zach cried.

"If it was only up to me, no," Sprout said, "But if the other heads of houses call for your removal then Dumbledore will demand it. Make sure this never happens." Zach nodded his reassurance that this will never be the case. The professor smiled; her face once more warm and friendly as she told Zach to rejoin the others for classes, before she turned her attentions towards Ernie.

"What did she say to you?" Zach asked for the umpteenth time since Ernie had left their head of house's office the previous morning.

"It was scary," Ernie repeated, "Really, it was…but…but she said I couldn't tell you."

"Why not?" Hannah urged as Justin called it quits on his study plans and agreed to join the others for their final breakfast together.

"We're your friends you can tell us surely?"

"Believe me you don't want to know."

"Fine," Justin said thrusting all the books that were scattered on the table into his friend's hands. "Check these out for me will you."

"A little light reading over Christmas, eh?" Susan asked as she stared at the six leather bound volumes that Justin had given her. "Between you and Granger, the library will be empty."

"Who cares," Zach said as he gave Kevin Kettleburn and Dillon Forsyth the honour of holding his books, "Let's get going, I'm starving."

Hogwarts was in chaos after breakfast. Dumbledore had announced that all students leaving for the holidays were to be packed and ready with their trunks and pets in the Entrance Hall at 10 o'clock. Many students were hurrying to do last minute packing as others found time to amuse themselves by racing their chests up and down the corridors, while others sat and waited in the Entrance Hall, talking and generally making a din as the tomfoolery of the other students increased.

This however wasn't the case for Hufflepuff house; ever since Ernie's meeting with professor Sprout the sixth year Badgers had noticed a distinct change in Ernie's dedication and attitude to his prefect duties. It was also due to this drastic transformation that those of the Badger house that were returning home for the holidays had found themselves in the Entrance Hall well before 10 o'clock.

"Scary, isn't it?" Hannah commented to Zach and the others as Ernie yelled at some seventh year Ravenclaws who were responsible for the unsolicited trunk races. "What ever professor Sprout said to him must have put the wind up him."

"You think?" Zach mumbled as he kept a close eye on Roger Davies who was eyeing Ernie up. Zach instinctively knew that nothing good was going to come of this change in Ernie's character. Zach couldn't help but be guarded, it was his nature to be protective of the ones he cared for, and so it was that his grip closed on his wand, just in case Roger decided to take a dislike to the fact his friends were being yelled at by a Badger.

The journey back to London was long and all the students were tired as they reached the platform. Smiling faces and welcoming hugs greeted all. The Hufflepuff sixth years wished each other goodbyes before they all went their separate ways.

It was the morning of Christmas Eve as Justin made his way through the crowds in Diagon Alley. It was the same thing every year, the Badgers always met to do last minute shopping before the big day and this year was more important than any other. A letter had arrived that morning from Hogwarts announcing that this year there would be a New Year party for all years over fourth year. All those that wished to attend would have to return to school early and as Justin pushed his way past the crowds he saw many familiar faces all of them busy hurrying from shop to shop.

A party was always something to get excited about but this one was even more special as it was fancy dress. Justin couldn't help but wonder what weird or wonderful costume Susan would come up with and as his thoughts fell onto the girl that he loved his eyes caught sight of Granger and Weasley emerging from Florence Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour. Panicked, Justin hurried towards the nearest window and turned his back on the pair as they passed by. Why, Justin didn't know, but he knew that he didn't want to meet Granger before he had the chance to ask Susan to be his date. It wasn't as though Justin had the impending feeling that Granger would ask him to be his date, on the contrary, Justin was sure that he was the last person that Granger would ask out. But Justin wasn't a person who was willing to tempt fate on matters of the heart.

"Oi, git!" Justin heard a muffled voice call as he looked around for the person that had spoken. A banging on the window in front of him finally drew his attention as he finally realised he was standing in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies.

"Zach!" Justin called as he smiled, seeing his friend and Ernie standing in the window display.

"Come look at this!" Zach called happily as he and Ernie beckoned Justin into the store before disappearing. Justin found the pair at the back of the shop, Zach was ogling a broom, stood on a plinth that read 'Clean sweep FX5 – Power unburdened.'

"I've been speaking to Jamie, the shop assistant," Zach said his eyes wide with excitement like a child, "he says that three wizards were killed test flying the prototypes. What's more, it's been rumoured that Victor Krum, the Tutshill  
Tornados, and the British international teams have placed advanced orders. What a broom, eh?"

"What a sales pitch, eh?" Ernie scoffed.

"It doesn't matter anyway," Zach said looking disheartened, "My folks would never be able to afford a broom like that. Not that my step-dad approves of Quidditch anyway."

"I thought you said he was coming round to the idea of us freaks?" Ernie asked. Ernie always found it difficult to understand the workings of Zach's family life, even Zach found it hard sometimes. Zach's real father had left when Zach was still young and until the age of eight, Zach had been the only man in his mother's life. But sometimes a friend of his mother's would came to visit and on such occasions Zach was made to hide in his room or to leave the flat completely. But after a year or more of this, Zach's mother had announced her marriage to her so called friend, and both she and her new man had insisted that Zach called her new husband dad, but Zach hated the man. It would have been a hard time for any child but it was doubly so for one that didn't know that they had magical powers, and a step-father whose patience was as quick to be lost as his temper.

"Anyway," Zach said beaming as his thoughts turned towards the letter that had arrived that morning, "What about this party, eh? Cool or what?"

"Cool for you," Justin moaned as the boys left the store and headed out into the street, "You'll have loads of girls wanting to be your date."

"I know!" Justin beamed as he grinned madly, "I'm already getting offers of dates. Lavender Brown, accidentally on purpose, bumped into me before I met Ernie asking if I had plans for the ball."

"And Pavarti and Padma asked him out. Together!" Ernie laughed as he suppressed a fit of giggles as he remembered the scene which had happened only a few minutes previously. "They were both so angry that the other had asked him out, but Zach's face was a picture of innocence as he asked if they'd want a threesome!"

"Needless to say, I have my dates for the ball," Zach grinned.

The rest of the day progressed in much the same way. The trio visited almost every shop in the Wizarding market and by the end of the day, each had finally decided upon what costume they were going to be wearing for the party.

The girls on the other hand were finding it much harder to decide upon their costumes for such an important event.

Susan and Hannah's Christmas was spoiled by this indecision and the difficulties of making such an enormous choice about this most important social event. To get the costume wrong or to portray the wrong image at this would mean social exclusion and ridicule on a mass scale. Christmas passed in a haze for Susan and others like her, and pretty quickly New Years Eve arrived and for all those that wanted to return for the ball arrived at Kings ready to board the Hogwarts express.

The banter on the train was light and jovial, all were looking forward to the promised ball. Friends huddled together in carriages, whispering excitedly about their costumes, while others rushed up and down the train trying to find last minute dates.

"I'm so sorry. But I've already agreed to go with someone," Zach said in his best apologetic tone as he broke the news to yet another female student that had come to beg for a date from the hero of Hufflepuff Quidditch. The door to the sixth year Badgers' compartment was continually being opened, and after an hour of this, Ernie demanded that the door stay permanently open.

"You're only jealous that no one's asked you out," Zach gloated as watched Pansy Parkinson hurrying past the compartment.

"I'm glad they haven't," Ernie rebuked, but secretly he was disappointed. True he was possibly the only gay at Hogwarts but still it would have been nice if just one person, male or female, had taken the opportunity to ask him.

"You can go with me, if you like?" Hannah offered as she looked up from Susan's December copy of the Quibbler. "No one's asked me either so we might as well go together."

"Thanks," Ernie groaned his tone noncommittal.

"He thinks if he waits long enough, Roger Davies will ask him," Zach said slyly.

"I do not."

"Yes you do. And you're living in a dream world if you think he'll ask you out."

"Who's asking who out?" said a voice from the hallway. All the Badgers quickly turned to see Roger Davies standing in the doorway of their carriage.

"Talk of the devil," Zach said grinning madly as he nudged Ernie in the back. Ernie felt his face burning red.

"Morning, Ernest," Roger said as he smiled.

"H-Hi," Ernie gasped. He scarcely believed that Roger Davies, his Roger Davies, the man that had saved his life from the giant squid, Ravenclaw's Quidditch captain and one of most handsome boys in the school, was standing in his compartment. Finally, as Ernie stared at the man before him, he couldn't help but realise now how Susan must feel every time she had encountered Snape. It's amazing the things a person will notice when they are secretly in love. The way Roger's tall and slender body was framed beautifully by the open door frame or how the light of the morning sun shone through the window behind him casting him in an almost saintly halo of light. How the soft breeze from a nearby open window was making his jet black hair dance slightly in its ebb and flow, but most of all Ernie was stuck by Rogers eyes.

A brilliant hue of blue were almost beckoning Ernie towards the man in front of him, begging to kiss Roger's soft and supple lips.

"I was hoping- well wondering, if you had a date for the ball?" Roger asked as Ernie, his eyes widening in shock, opened his mouth to reply.

"Sorry, Roger, but I've already got a date. Some other time, eh?" Susan said, her voice breaking through Ernie's thoughts as the realisation of what had just happened hit him. Roger hadn't been asking him for a date he had come to ask Susan!

"And why shouldn't he ask Susan for a date?" Zach argued an hour or so later as the train finally came to a halt at Hogsmead station. The girls hurried to save a carriage as Ernie, Zach and Justin followed some distance behind. "It isn't like he's gay, and no amount of wishing from you will make him so."

"Well, if that's the case, then why didn't she go with him?" Ernie argued.

He had been knocked for six by Roger's proposal to Susan, but Ernie knew that he would rather Roger be on a date with his closest friend than some Ravenclaw wench like Cho Chang.

"She's already got a date, that's why?" Zach repeated for the tenth time and for the tenth time Justin demanded a name.

"I couldn't possible divulge that information," Zach said grinning at the torture he knew he was forcing upon his friend.

"She hasn't got a date, has she?" Justin said finally resolving himself to that thought, "She's not been back long enough to find one."

"You trolls might find it hard to pull, but don't drag a beauty like our Susie-Q down to your level. I happen to know that she's got an important date with a Snake." And with that, Zach made a hissing noise with his tongue and walked off leaving Justin feeling thoroughly sick at the thought that Snape was taking Susan to the ball.

Ernie however, at that particular moment, wouldn't have cared if Snape and Susan declared that they were running away together. Ernie was angry with himself and all he could think about was how he could have been so stupid to have thought that someone with Roger's good looks, Quidditch skills, and popularity with the female student body, would ever be interested in the like of himself.

Enraged at his lack of judgment, Ernie once more threw himself into his prefect duties. If he achieved only one thing this year, Ernie thought as he yelled for the Hufflepuffs to board the waiting carriages, it was going to be the thing that Professor Sprout had talked to him about before the holidays. The thought still scared him, but it made sense. Or at least it made sense of the reason why Sprout was being so hard on him. The professor had taken Ernie into her confidence and made him promised not to breathe a word of what she told him to another living soul. Reluctantly Ernie agreed and so it was that the professor confessed that she was seriously considering nominating Ernie as Hufflepuff's candidate for next years head boy.

Ernie was gob-smacked. He didn't know what to say. Head boy was a thing that Ernie only thought of being in dreams, but in real life it was something that Ernie thought the likes of Zach or Justin would be nominated for. One was popular and athletic and the other intelligent and charming, both things that many past head boys had been.

Ernie had even questioned his head of house as to her judgement and so she confessed that the decision had been an easy one. Each head of house could nominate two sixth year pupils each year; one boy, one girl. Zach, although a fine example of Quidditch spirit and talent, was also a very volatile student, and his record for detentions and lack of concentration in many lessons ruled him out. Justin, although a prime candidate, wasn't a fully rounded student. He lacked the necessary emotional skills to handle such a position. And so, by default, Ernie was in the running for the coveted badge.

"But remember, MacMillan," Sprout had called before she had ended their meeting, "Other houses will be putting forth their own candidates." And so it was that Ernie was now determined to beat his oppositions.


	15. The ball and more

**Chapter 15: The ball and more.**

It was almost 7:30 when the first returning student stepped down from their carriage outside the castle's main doors. All the teachers had been waiting in the Entrance Hall, and as the influx of students, arrived all were greeted by Dumbledore as he announced that the festivities would commence at precisely nine o'clock.

And so it was that at eight forty, Ernie was stood in the Hufflepuff common room yelling for his house to hurry up as excited noises echoed from both male and female dorms. Friends could be heard laughing at each others choice of costumes, squeals as some realised that they wore identical costumes, and the constant shouts and demands for help with the pinning of hair or fastening of buckles, zips, buttons and bows.

Fidgeting with his costume and pulling at the crotch as his new trousers pinched and squeezed in places that he didn't even know could hurt this badly Zach ambled into the common room.

"Alright keep your knickers on!" Zach yelled as he was one of the first to emerge from the dorms.

"Wow!" Ernie grinned, trying hard not to sound too pleased as he looked at his friend. Ernie had known that the Quidditch captain was taking the duty of escorting two of Hogwarts' more finer ladies quite seriously. And even though Ernie had laughed as the twins had insisted on a theme of Arabian nights, now, as Ernie watched his friend hurrying towards him, his face slightly flushed, Ernie couldn't help but praise the girls' choice of attire for their date.

Zach was sporting baggy satin green trousers, a loose fitted golden shirt on top of which was a velvet tunic in deep purple timed with gold braid, and wrapped around his waist was a golden sash. Ernie couldn't help but admit that his best friend was one very good looking young man.

"Help me with this, will you?" Zach demanded as he thrust a deep purple turban like head piece at him and Ernie stretched to place it on his friends head as Zach struggled to pin the veil like strands under his chin.

"How do I look?" Zach asked his eyes pleading for Ernie to be honest, and for once Ernie couldn't find one jibe to throw.

"Like the very picture of an Arabian prince," Ernie conceded.

"Thanks," Zach breathed regaining a hold on the nervousness that was making him act like a fussing school girl.

"What are you supposed to be?" Zach asked as he eyed Ernie sceptically. To Zach, Ernie looked as though he was dressed as Dick Turpin. He wore a dark red tunic with frilly cuffs and neck scarf, knee high stockings and black pantaloons. The finishing touches to this 'Highway man' look were the buckled shoes, tri-corner hat, and long black riding coat.

"I'm a masked Venetian," Ernie said cheerfully as he turned and picked up a mask off a nearby table. The mask covered the top half of Ernie's face and was gold with a long beak like nose. "It's a traditional wizarding costume." Ernie added his mask as the dubious look in Zach's eyes persisted.

"Most of them will be wearing them," called Susan's voice as she, Hannah and several other Badgers finally emerged from their dorms.

"Oh my unworthy eyes!" Zach drooled as he collapsed onto his knees, a grin firmly planted on his face as he bowed down at the sight of Susan. "What is this vision of blue loveliness that I see before me?"

"Oh shut up you," Susan smiled at Zach's jest, "I'm a Cornish pixie."

"Believe me, if Cornish pixies looked like you, I wouldn't be living in London."

"And I'd have paid more attention in Defence Against the Dark Arts," Jason's voice called from the fire place as a few of the other older boys wolf whistled as they too spotted Susan enter the common room.

"You decided not to go for the traditional look then?" Ernie asked as Susan gave the boys a twirl. "Decided to use your artistic licence instead?"

"And what a licence," said Zach, still on his knees as he threw his arms around Susan's middle and hugged her, "Be my date instead!"

"No can do, you know that," Susan said pointedly as she pushed a still gaping Zach away and gave the boys one more twirl. Susan had known that her dress would turn heads and that was her intention. It had been pure luck that she had spotted the dress in an adult Muggle shop tucked away in the darkest corner of the high street of her home town. It had been labelled as 'Naughty but nice' and this was entirely the image that Susan wished to portray.

Her dress was a sky blue lace dress with a tight fitting lace bodice. The hems of the dress and top of the bodice were trimmed with frilly lace and the skirt puffed out, like that of a ballerina's, by its many petticoats. Thin shoe string straps helped to keep Susan from loosing all her modesty and also held in place, large butterfly-like wings that Susan had transfigured and bewitched to flutter and beat like the real thing. Her hair was curled and piled up on her head and held into place with light blue roses as a few delicate strands fell loosely down and bounced in a teasing manor as she walked. Her skin also shimmered slightly like glittering fairy dust.

"She does look lovely, doesn't she?" Hannah said trying her best to keep her tone pleasant, but it was hard to do when you felt jealous of a very close friend.

Hannah had known that Susan's dress would have been, at best, revealing and at worst, none existent. But even though Hannah had known and expected this, the reactions of her friends still struck a chord that Hannah found very hurtful. After all, she had spent all of her Christmas holidays planning and making her own costume. Every stitch, thread and inch on braiding had been sown by Hannah herself, she had made the costume's pattern, cut the cloth and even embroidered d her own collars and cuff, all by hand.

It wasn't even as though it had been an easy design to choose for a costume. Hannah hated most parts of her body and always felt very self-conscious when showing any of it, even her arms. And so finally, after debating over what to wear and even contemplating the idea of not attending entirely, Hannah decided to do something that would praise her house and show her pride of being a Badger. Hence the fact that had chosen to be her house founder Helga Hufflepuff.

Hannah wore a cream coloured tunic dress made from thick cotton with gold embroidered cuffs, collar and hems. A large heavy gold pendant that Susan had borrowed from her aunt hung round Hannah's neck and depicted Helga's much loved badger. Above this dress Hannah wore a heavy outer robe trimmed with fur. Finally a crown like head piece finished the whole costume off.

"Where's Justin?" Hannah asked as she finally resolved herself to the fact that now Susan had entered the room no one else would be issuing compliments to anyone else but the Cornish pixie.

"Who cares?" Ernie replied callously as he looked at the grandfather clock that stood at the back of the room before he barked for everyone to make their way towards the Great Hall for the start of the festivities.

The doors to the Great Hall were closed and so the Entrance Hall was filling with students all dressed in a multitude of costumes and masks. There were kings and queens, Greek and Roman gods and goddesses, magical beasts, birds and Elves, Fairies, Mermaids, Werewolves, Pirates, soldiers, goblins, gargoyles, vampires and a score of Quidditch stars and other famous witches, wizards and movie stars, plus characters for TV shows. There was even a pantomime horse.

"I'll see you losers later," Zach called as he spotted Padma and Parvati Patil across the other side of the hall. Both girls waved and beckoned their date to them. "It's so hard being poplar."

With that, and a backwards glance at Susan, Zach disappeared into the crowd, his eyes now firmly set on the two girls, who were dressed as Arabian Princesses. One in pink, the other in blue, but both girls' costumes were full of eastern promise. Their slim bodies sported loose fitting trousers, a small top and lots of midriff as veils hung loosely all about them. Both wore a small headdress with their long black hair fastened high on their head as their hair cascaded down their backs, giving them the look of a certain female TV genie.

The buzz, chatter and excitement rose but before the noise could become unbearable, the chiming of the tower clock struck eight o'clock and slowly the doors to the hall opened revealing a Great Hall like none Ernie had ever seen before.

"It's beautiful," Susan breathed and Ernie couldn't have agreed more. The large house tables had vanished to make way for a large dance floor at the far end of the hall, while row upon row of smaller candle lit tables were clustered near the main doors. Two large fountains of red coloured liquid flagged either side of the doors. The walls glistened with a soft ice-like glow, the house banners were replaced with those marking the New Year, and the ever changing ceiling showed a clear sky, in which the whole solar system was reflected, and dazzling stars shot across the speckled deep blue sky.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome," Dumbledore called happily addressing the students as he and the teachers stood in front of the now open doors. "It is such a gratifying sight to see you all return early. To know that your thirst for knowledge and the improvement of your minds, and not to mention the appreciation of your teachers, has drawn you back to Hogwarts early-" here the teachers and many students laughed- "But let us not forget that the closing of a year is a time of reflection for us all, a time to weigh up one's past actions, a time of remembrance and of sadness. But as one year passes, a new one begins and with this solemn reflection comes healing, and a celebration of things to come, of new friendships, new found strengths, and a determination to put right what once may have been wrong. This New Year brings promise and new challenges, and I know that our students of this fine school, each and every one of you, bravely face the challenges that lie ahead."

Teachers and students cheered as, finally, Dumbledore declared that the ball would commence. Music struck up from a band at the far end of the hall and those students that were lucky enough to secure dates led their partners to the dance floor.

"Well I guess I'll be seeing you two later, eh?" Susan said as a tall redheaded student arrived at her side. His face was as red as his hair, and besides the orange Chudley Cannons Quidditch kit and goggles, Susan's date wore a very gormless grin.

"Bye," she said with a backwards glance and an almost pleading look of help in her eyes.

"She's going with Weasley?" Ernie gasped in sheer horror as Susan and the red moron walked away into the hall. "She's scraping the bottom of the barrel with him! If you ask me, Justin addled her brain with that bourbon thing. She must be completely off her rocker going with him."

"Susan always is when it comes to dates," Hannah replied gruffly, "But at least she gets one."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Ernie grumbled.

"I mean that at least Zach and Susan could get dates, where as I'm stuck with you!"

"Oi, you asked me, remember?" Ernie protested. "So if anyone should have complaints, it should be me."

"Oh really, well at least people said they liked your costume."

"Zach doesn't count as people?" Ernie quibbled.

"At least he liked it, not one person said they liked mine."

"I like your dress."

"Yeah right, I bet you don't even know who I am, do you?"

"Yes I do," Ernie squirmed, knowing full well he was lying, but Hannah's sudden verve was making him nervous. This was a new aspect to the usually pleasant and timid prefect, and despite the fact that Ernie knew that whatever he said wouldn't appease her; he decided he had nothing to lose. "You're **Queen Maeve.**"

"I'm Helga Hufflepuff, you prune!" Hannah yelled. It was the tone that Ernie felt hurtful more than the words, it was almost as if Hannah had slapped him across the face.

"What's wrong with you? You're never argumentative," Ernie demanded his temper rising at Hannah's new found attitude. Ernie couldn't help but wonder what had sparked his aggression in the usually passive and easily put over Hannah.

"I'm not being argumentative- well I am- but I'm fed up of you all treating me like I'm some silly, dumb Squib. We both know that the only reason we've come together is because no one else wanted to take us. We're together by default, not by choice, so why pretend otherwise?"

With that Hannah followed the last of the stragglers into the hall and Ernie was left feeling that this night was about to get a whole lot worse before it could possibly get better.

Zach, on the other hand, officially knew he was crazy. He had to be, it was the only thing that explained it. His most frequent dream had finally come true, he was standing in the mists of an almost packed dance floor dressed as an Arabian king, beautiful women surrounding him, and as he strutted his stuff, two of Hogwarts' most stunning sisters, dressed in hardly anything, were bumping and grinding their own stuff within inches of Zach's body. The problem was that Zach couldn't help but stare at Susan as she danced with a redheaded idiot in a Chudley Cannons team kit. What was the world coming to?

As the first song ended, Zach offered to fetch drinks from the red fountains by the doors and hoped that this time away would help him collect his thoughts. Susan was his friend; he wasn't interested in Susan in any other way. Or was he?

"Justin would kill me," Zach said out loud as he downed a glass of the cool liquid that tasted like fruit punch.

"And why would I do that?" asked a voice that made Zach choke.

"Justin!" Zach called as he turned and slapped his friend on the back while his mind raced for something to say, "I was thinking if I should spike this or not."

"I wouldn't kill you for that," Justin smiled, making Zach feel even worse about his previous thoughts about Susan, "But Dumbledore would."

"You're right, it wouldn't be cricket."

"So-err-where's Susan?"

"Dunno," Zach lied, "So who are you? James Bond?"

"Yeah, mother got me this a few months back," Justin said as he pulled at his bow tie. It was the tuxedo that his mother had insisted he wore at their formal parties, which were a frequent occurrence at the large manor house that Justin called home. "But don't skirt the point, where's Susan? Who's her date?"

"You don't want to know."

"Really?" asked Justin, wondering if he really did or didn't. Even though he did have a hunch as to whom Susan's date was, he secretly hoped it wasn't. He still couldn't believe that Dumbledore, or any other teacher, at seeing professor and student arriving together at the ball hadn't called a halt on this gross exploitation of position and responsibility. But as Justin finally caught sight of Susan making her way towards the drinking fountains, Justin's mind became surprisingly blank. The only thought left was one of how bloody lucky the professor was.

"Susan?" Justin breathed the name in amazement as he looked at the girl that was hurrying towards them, his eyes firmly planted on her as her golden locks bounced up and down as she walked.

"I know," Zach replied, knowing the thoughts that were passing through his friend's head. "Who would have thought it, eh? Our Susan: a woman."

"So you finally made it?" Susan asked as reached the boys' place at the fountain and grabbed Zach's drink, downing it in one. "It's terribly hot out there. I'm parched, not to mention that it's surprising to look at him, but he's actually a really good dancer… apart from his wandering hand. Anyway better go-"

"SUSAN!" Justin yelled, his jealously finally getting the better of him and he grabbed Susan's wrist as she tried to head back to her date. "Don't you think your going a bit too far with this? He's older then you and he's taking advantage!"

"Justin, you're hurting me!" Susan protested as she pulled her hand free, her temper flaring as she glared at him. "Besides if anyone is taking advantage, it's me. It was Zach's idea that I should go with him-"

"One which I'm already regretting," Zach hastened to add as Justin shot a murderous look at him.

"What's your problem anyway? Yes, he's trying it on, but Ron's harmless really-"

"Ron! As in Ron Weasley?" Justin stammered as though he was recoiling from a blow. It had never occurred to him that Susan's date had been anyone other then Snape

"Yes. Who did you think I was talking about….you- you thought it was Snape, didn't you?" Susan laughed before her own anger got the better of her, "You honestly thought I'd….that I would go with a professor! Yes, I liked him…but-"

"Liked him? You were loony over him!"

"People change. I've changed!"

"I'll believe that when I see it!"

"You know what, Justin? Why don't you go boil your head -or better still- stay out of my way or you'll find you'll have a tail!" With that, Susan turned on her heels and disappeared into the crowd.

"Nice going, mate," Zach said sympathetically as he pressed a glass of punch into Justin's hand. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"What about your dates?"

"Suddenly I've lost my appetite for Indian delicacies. Let's find Peeves and throw spit wads at him." With that, both boys left the hall for the seventh floor, where, usually on these occasions, Peeves could be found trying to break into the headmaster's office.

"What did Susan mean when she said it was your idea?" Justin asked over an hour later as he and Zach sat hidden behind a large statue of a gargoyle.

"She's female. They mumble. You can never understand anything they say."

"That might be so, but I distinctly heard her say that it was your idea that she dates Ron."

"Oh that!" Zach said feigning naivety, "I think she's labouring under the impression that I wanted her to pump Weasley for information about Gryffindor's Quidditch tactics."

"Oh right…..So you didn't want her to 'pump' Weasley for information then?" Justin asked. "Going to the ball with Weasley was all Susan's idea, was it?"

"Got it in one, mate."

"You always were a rubbish liar, Zach," Justin grinned, "and this noble sacrifice of Susan's had nothing to do with the fact that she thinks I'm dating Granger then?"

"The inner sanctums of a girl's mind are things I'm not privy to," Zach replied saintly before Justin's words pricked a curious thought from his mind. "You and Granger aren't then?"

"Good god no, can you imagine?"

"All too well, unfortunately," Zach said as he shuddered at what could have been. Both boys were now silent but Justin couldn't shake the feeling that was nagging him.

"You….don't suppose there was another reason why Susan went with Ron, do you?" Justin pressed as a slither of hidden hope started to build within him as he vocalised his thoughts. Zach turned and fixed his friend with a piercing stare.

"If you're asking whether or not I think Susan is jealous of this fake relationship you've been having with the SPEW queen, whilst actually you've been totally, utterly and madly in love with her for the best part of three years, whilst Susan, oblivious to your love, has set her sights on one of the most repulsive teachers that ever had the privilege to stalk these hallowed halls, has unconsciously grasped hold of the idea that somehow I needed tactical Quidditch information on the Gryffindor team and so subconsciously asked the friend slash romantic interest of the aforementioned SPEW Queen for a date, whereupon she wore the most revealing dress ever concocted by mankind, and I use the term dress loosely, to some how get back at you because she too has feelings for you? And so one must draw a conclusion on these events and ask -what was the question again?"

For a second Justin stared at Zach as though the Quidditch captain had lost his mind. Maybe he had, Justin thought, after all he had just abandoned two of Hogwarts' most dazzling beauties. Instead of having lovely ladies hanging around him all night, Zach had chosen his company, and Justin couldn't help but wonder why. Surely it wasn't simply the fact that Zach had seen that Justin had needed a friend more tonight then any other? But before Justin could continue his second guessing Zach yelled.

"RUN!" Zach called as he grabbed the lapel of Justin's tuxedo and pulled. Finally the enraged Peeves had discovered the two Badgers' hiding places and the poltergeist was hell-bent on exacting revenge.

"Great plan of yours!" Justin yelled as he and Zach hurtled down the hall.

"Well how was I to know that the school's poltergeist would have taken such offence at our activities?" Zach yelled as both boys ducked left and rushed down the adjoining corridor. "He always seemed such a happy chap. YOU SHOULDN'T REALLY DISH IT OUT IF YOU CAN'T TAKE IT!" Zach called this last part over his shoulder as Peeves crashed down the corridor behind them.

Justin and Zach weren't the only Badgers missing out on the festivities; Ernie had left the ball early too. Hannah's black mood had softened slightly as Neville Longbottom asked her for a dance. At this Ernie had taken his chance to slip away. He hated balls. He always had, and despite his feelings of joy and excitement preceding them, the actual event was always a let down. It had been the same with the Yule ball. While all the others were dancing and enjoying themselves, Ernie was left seated on the sidelines. And then, like now, he had left early.

As Ernie left the castle, the night air hit him like a sheet of ice cold water, but after its sudden chill had worn off, it was quite cooling. Ernie began to trace the very same footsteps that he had taken the evening he had left the Yule ball all those years ago. The grounds looked almost the same, but it was amazing at how much things had changed in the years that had passed. There weren't any rose bushes or hidden lovers this time round, but the night was still early. Ernie wandered through the grounds and eventually found himself at his favourite spot under a tree by the lake.

Ernie settled himself on the ground and looked out towards the dark lake. He couldn't help but remember all the other occasions that he had sat there. There were occasions with his friends on long hot summer days, while he and Susan made daisy chains, Justin studied, Hannah chatted away happily about something or other, and Zach polished his best broom.

And then there were the times when he had sat here alone, like now, under the cover of darkness, his eyes cast out towards the lake, unseeing, as he pondered his life as he struggled to understand his feelings. It had only been a year or more since Ernie had fully accepted the fact that he wasn't like all the other boys in school, and as he sat there he couldn't help but recall the night of the Yule ball. It had been Cedric that had come that night, not his closest friends, but Cedric. He had left the festivities in search of his lost Badger, and as the champion settled himself beside Ernie on the grass, Ernie had found himself confessing all his hidden secrets. All the things that he had been too scared to tell his friends he had entrusted to Cedric, and not once did the Badger recoil. So steadfast was he that he simply smiled and placed a comforting hand on Ernie's shoulder and through this effortless gesture, Ernie had known that his life at Hogwarts would somehow be better once he had 'officially' announced his secret to his friends.

Ernie was driven from his reflections by the breaking of a twig behind him. Upon turning, Ernie's eyes widened, fear spread through his body as he opened his mouth to issue a scream, but his voice caught in his throat at the sight of the towering and sinister Dementor. His first instincts were to scream, chuck his shoes at the thing and to leg it back to the castle. That was until Ernie's reasoning took over and he suddenly spotted a pair of trainers poking out from below the hem of the black billowing cape. Now Ernie didn't know much about the height of Dementor fashion, but he was almost sure that they wouldn't wear trainers.

"Nice costume," Ernie said trying to sound as macho as he possibly could after his little fright. He prayed that his impersonation of a Boggart caught in front of DaDA class wouldn't spread like wild fire around the school the following morning. But the newcomer didn't say a word. Instead the Dementor settled itself upon the grass, both students sat with their backs up against the tree. Ernie with his legs pulled up as he rested his arms and chin on his knees while the Dementor sat with his legs out in front of him. Ernie was unsure of how long they sat like this, not a word passing between them as the silence stretched from minutes to hours, but Ernie found this oddly comforting, it was as though he knew this person and throughout this time he was completely at his ease.

Finally as the lake grew less and less visible, Ernie turned towards the stranger and in doing so his eyes met those behind the mask, and Ernie could read all. The Dementor wasn't here to judge or to talk; his motives were entirely something else. And in an instant Ernie knew what this was as the Dementor bent to kiss him. The brim of his hood folded across Ernie's brow as the black cape twisted and folded about him engulfing Ernie in its darkness. Ernie couldn't believe this; surely it was some sort of dream, but the hand that slowly moved to the middle of his back felt real enough, as did the skin that his own hand came into contact with as he slowly moved his hand inside the hood towards the back on the person's neck. It was a muscular neck and yet the kiss was soft and gentle. Ernie felt the weight of all his worries lift in that one kiss and finally for the first time since he had arrived at Hogwarts, Ernie ceased feeling alone, he was no longer the only gay in the school.

"What are you two doing up here?" Susan called as she emerged onto the turreted roof of the astronomy tower to find Zach and Justin both leaning over the walls throwing spit wads at passing couples below. "How very mature."

"We thought so," Zach replied grinning. He hadn't wanted to turn round but it was such a natural thing to do, and now that he had, he once more came face to face with Susan in that dress. Both looking the way they did, Zach was helpless to resist. Despite the fact he was conscious that Justin was watching his every move.

"I-er-I've gotta go find Hannah," he called as he brushed passed Susan on his way down the stairs.

Justin couldn't believe his luck. All through his holidays he had been planning on getting Susan alone and as Zach disappeared back towards the dance his moment had finally arrived. They were together; Susan and himself, on the roof, just the two of them, alone with nature. And Justin couldn't help but think that life couldn't get better than this.

"It's so beautiful, isn't it?" Susan said as she leaned on the parapets and gazed upwardly at the sky above. It was every bit as beautiful as the ceiling in the Great Hall had depicted it.

"Beautiful," Justin replied idly as he gazed at Susan, until a small envious voice broke the moment between them, "Where's your date?"

"Off somewhere with your's. Apparently they had unfinished business to attend to."

"My date?" Justin answered puzzled.

"Granger," Susan said almost spitting the name with hate.

"I'm not dating Hermione."

"But you said-"

"I know but, I was angry at you…so I fibbed."

"So you're not dating Granger?"

"No."

"Oh thank Merlin!" Susan squealed joyfully as she hugged him tightly, "So I don't have to be nice to her anymore?"

"No," said Justin his heart now racing as the leggy blond hung to his neck and she kissed his check as a red flush started to tint his skin. "I wish I never started it but I just wanted to make you jealous."

"But why?"

"Because you slept with Snape."

"I slept with Snape?" Susan squealed ecstatically as she began to laugh. "He's a teacher for Merlin's sake -he wouldn't be allowed to, not with a student anyway."

"But at the Quidditch match-?"

"Oh that," said Susan a little peevishly as she withdrew her arms from Justin's neck and settled herself down on the floor. "I suppose you'd like to know what happened?" Justin nodded as he settled himself beside her, finally he was getting somewhere.

"I was intending to go to the match," Susan admitted, "but I…sort of ran into the professor outside the Great Hall. He said he needed to talk to me in private, so you can imagine how thrilled I was. Me and him alone in his office, all the teachers and students off watching the match; it doesn't take a genius to guess what was going through my mind at the time.

"Well anyway we get to his office, he asks me to close the door, and I'm all ready to pounce and to rip his clothes off, when he starts to talk again. I think I might as well listen and this is what really happened in his office that day."

'_Miss Bones, I am sure you understand why I have asked you here?" Severus said his tone indicating nothing. Susan merely nodded, as the dreams and fantasies that she had repressed over the passed weeks suddenly flooded back to her._

"_In that case it will not come as a surprise for you to hear that I am concerned for you."_

"_Concerned?" Susan said not fully understanding Snape's meaning._

"_Yes," he said as Susan tried hard not to stare into his eyes. Instead she kept her eyes firmly focused on Snape's shoes. His lovely polished shoes that sparkled in the fire light of his office. Shoes that perfectly protected his feet and toes that Susan had dreamed of licking in many of her Potions classes. But before she was carried away, Snape's voice cut through her like a knife, "I am not alone in my concern. Professor Sprout and the headmaster share my anxiety for you."_

"'Bugger' was all I could think of," Susan told Justin, still disheartened at the professor's words. "I mean, what a massive let down. I thought I was there to finally confess my undying love and all Sevy wanted to talk about was how he believed that I wasn't realising my full potential. How I was often found day dreaming or staring off into the distance during classes. I wanted to tell him that on all those occasions it was him I was thinking about, but the words didn't come, so he just kept talking. He said how he believed that with a little more self-discipline my work and grades would benefit. And I found myself agreeing with him. I told him that I knew I was slacking and that I did want to reach my potential. And then he suggested that if I really did want to commit myself to grades, and the subject, then he would be willing to tutor me personally!"

"WHAT?" Justin called in amazement, although, Justin now had an explanation as to why, on his return from the Quidditch match, Susan was found in the common room with a smile as wide as the Grand Canyon.

"I know. I couldn't believe it myself," Susan said obviously misinterpreting the reason for Justin's exclamation. "He said he couldn't start the tutoring till after Christmas, something to do with getting permission from Dumbledore. But…well Christmas has been a long time…" Susan's tone changed to a dejected one as she now spoke, "So you're not to worry about me. Snape is nothing to me…that Horcrux is well and truly smashed."

"Really?"

"Yes…it was just a little school girl crush -"

"Little? You wrote love poems to him. You made little cloth dolls of him, and you were that hysterical with fatigue and exhaustion that we found you in the kitchen in an almost zombie-like state."

"Well, it sounds bad if you put it that way," Susan conceded. A small smile creeping onto her face, "But I'm totally over Snape. Totally."

"Are you, though?" Justin demanded. "So you no longer fantasize about marrying him then?"

"Marry Snape?" Susan scoffed as she grinned, "Remus Lupin was marriage material, Snape's worthy of only an affair."

Justin shook his head as he smiled. It was now undeniable that his Susan was back, and her quirky weirdness had returned with a vengeance. He wanted to grab hold of her and tell her how he loved her, how through these past weeks he had been suffering in his own personal hell, worrying about her and wondering if his Susan would ever be the same again. But now, as both of them gazed up at the stars, Justin knew that what ever had happened in their past was over, and from this night it was time to make a new start.

'Very apt,' Justin thought, given the fact it was a new year. And with this new start Justin was determined not to let his chance pass him by. He was determined to tell Susan how he felt about her and what better place to do it than here. On the top of the Astronomy tower under a dazzling moon lit sky on the cusp of a new year. His mind was made up; he had set his cap to it and nothing would dissuade him.

"Susan?" He spoke the name tentatively as she turned to look at him. Her face was illuminated by the moonlight in a way that made her look even more irresistible than usual. Her soft golden curls framed her face and her eyes sparkled as her lips, as red as roses, begged to be kissed. Justin leaned towards her as Susan eyes gazed into his as she too moved closer; it was as if she had already guessed what he had planned.

"Will-willyougooutwithme?" Justin blurted, the words pouring from his mouth in his nervousness. Susan pulled back and looked at him in surprise. But he wasn't about to be put off by this blinder, he readied himself for one more attempt at the English language until…

"Told ya he was moping," Zach called as he burst out onto the tower with Hannah following behind him. At their entry, Susan's face lit up as a broad smile spread over her features. Jumping to her feet, she greeted her friend very enthusiastically as he too clung to her in a massive hug. All Justin could do was glare in Zach's direction.

"You two coming? It's nearly midnight. Everyone's congregating in the Great Hall for the chimes," said Hannah as she hung back near the roof's entry eager to be back at the festivities.

"He's all yours," Susan said softly as she caressed Zach's upper arm and kissed his cheek. Her actions making Justin's face burn slightly in anger as the girls left the boys alone.

"What was that?" Justin demanded climbing to his feet as he rushed at Zach and shoved him.

"What?" Zach replied. His defences hardly had time to react as he staggered back rubbing his chest as he looked down at Justin.

"That- that just now- her kissing you!" Justin yelled, "Why did you have to come bursting in here right after I'd asked her out?"

"You finally asked Susan out?" Zach asked amazed at the fact that Justin had finally done the thing which he had longed to do for the better part of three years. "What did she say?"

"Nothing, she didn't have time to because you arrived."

"Jay, man, I'm so sorry. If I'd have known-"

"What? You'd have stayed down stairs? Zach, you've been panting after her like a dog on heat all night- despite the fact that you've had two of the most attractive girls in Hogwarts thrusting themselves on you all night."

"Don't try to rationalise it, mate," Zach said in his most reassuring tone, the tone he would use on his team mates before a match that when he secretly knew they had no hope of winning, "There is nothing between Susan and myself apart from…from brotherly and sisterly affection."

"Brotherly and sisterly affection?" Justin repeated, his tone showing how dubious he was of this idea.

"Alright," said Zach holding is hands up in defeat, "I'll admit it, tonight made me see Susan in a light I have never seen her before. Tonight she wasn't this annoyingly crazy psycho that I called a friend. Tonight I finally noticed that she's a woman…and by god what a woman-"

"I knew it!" Justin raged as he once more shoved Zach.

"Shut up and let me finish will you!" Zach yelled back. "Yes, she's beautiful, and yes I'll admit that tonight, with that dress, I would be willing to kill Ernie for the chance to be with her. But you're my best friend, my pal, my buddy, my chum. And I would rather gouge out my eyes with a spoon than hurt your feelings. I know how much you care for Susan and I could never do that to you."

"So much for that 'brotherly and sisterly' affection, eh?"

"That was lame, wasn't it?" Zach admitted as he grinned. "But you was being a jerk"

"Really?"

"No!" Zach laughed as both boys began the descent towards the Great Hall.

The Great Hall was full. All the students that had wandered off during the dance had once more congregated in the hall, standing and holding hands with friends or dates as Dumbledore led them into counting off the chimes. The sixth year Badgers stood hand in hand, Justin conscious of the fact that his palms were beginning to perspire through nervousness as he held Susan's hand in his.

Susan on the other hand couldn't help but let her gaze fall upon the teacher that she had once devoted her life to. Her whole reason for being had been smashed asunder by a truth that her aunt had relayed over the holidays.

Zach was nursing a potentially glorious black eye and a very swollen lip, gifts from the Patil twins, who had once more regained their date only to slap him across the face for his abandonment of them.

Hannah, however, couldn't help but smile. She had had a wonderful night full of dancing and laughter and she was bursting to tell all to Susan later that night.

Finally, the last chime struck and the whole hall erupted in cheers as party poppers and streamers and magical firecrackers exploded in colourful streams to celebrate the New Year. The band once more struck up as Dumbledore led all the students in a verse of the school song, all students that were apart from two.

Ernie couldn't help but smile, if only his friends could see him now, his head rested on the burly chest of his lover. The rhythmical motion of the chest was reassuring and Ernie couldn't help let his eyelids fall as they felt heavy and sleep started to call. The arms that held him felt strong and secure, soothing and safe and the lips that kissed his head told Ernie that no matter what, he would be safe tonight.


	16. The following day

A/N: Hello everyone. I'm so sorry that I have neglected this story for a very long time (almost 2yrs!!) It's unforgivable I know. But I've finally rekindled my passion for Harry Potter and my wonderful spin on the series with the slightly scary but yet still adorable Hufflepuff sixth years! Hope you all will like this chapter just as much as you have enjoyed the others. Happy Valentine's!!!

**Chapter 16: The following day.**

It was nearly three in the morning when, hand in hand, Ernie and his companion finally headed back towards the school. The music and noise of the party had died hours ago, the lights within the hall had faded and the revellers had all retired to their dorms.

'I guess this is it then?' Ernie said as he and the Dementor entered the entrance hall 'I guess I'll see you around, eh?'

'I don't understand?' the Dementor said, sounding confused as he dropped Ernie's hand 'I thought you wanted this?'

'I do....it's just....well you're you!' Ernie said. He knew the words were lame, but he didn't know how to express what he felt. He wanted to confess his love for the man in front of him, to tell him how he felt deep down inside. How he had dreamed of this night for months, how he had imagined how strong and gentle the man would be. How strong his muscular arms would be, and how soft his tender kisses would feel. The night had been all that he imaged it would be, but in Ernie's dreams he had never thought about what would happen afterwards, after all his dream could never have been reality...but now it was. Ernie couldn't help but feel nervous and slightly scared of what would happen next.

'You think that this was a one off?' the Dementor said a small smile on his face as he pulled Ernie closer 'do you really think that I would...would seduce you and then leave!?'

'Won't you?' Ernie said, hardly daring to believe what words would be spoken next

'Ernie, I'm yours' the man said grinning as he leaned in closer and kissed his lover 'if you want me then I'm yours'

'I want you, I so want you!' Ernie said as the pair kissed again 'I can't wait to tell the others, Zach'll never believe me!'

'What?' the Dementor said as he pulled back as Ernie leaned in for another kiss

'I can't wait till I tell my friends' Ernie said smiling.

'You can't tell them, Ernie please promise me you will not tell them'

'But they're my friends?' Ernie said slightly confused at this sudden change in his lover,

'I know...but look at it from my position; I've only got six months left at Hogwarts, I graduate this June. If word gets out that I'm gay...I'll have no career prospects and you'll have another year left here with everyone knowing our secret '

'You're ashamed aren't you?' Ernie said as he pulled out of the man's hold, 'I'm not disgusted about who I am. I'm not ashamed-'

'And neither am I!' the Dementor said as he grabbed hold of Ernie's hands 'I've liked you for ages...I wasn't sure if you felt the same...Hell I wasn't even sure if you liked men at all till tonight. But I took a chance and it paid off. This is all new, it's scary and it's different, please can't we just keep it to ourselves just for a little while?'

'But their my friends'

'I know, but I just don't want the entire school knowing...especially not before I get a chance to speak to Ch-

'You're girlfriend!' Ernie said sullenly as he once more pulled away.

'Yeah'

'And what about me?' Ernie said as he sat down on the first step of the marble staircase 'you say that your mine, but then you say you want to keep us a secret. You say that you fancy me, but you still have a girlfriend. Are you gay or not? Do you want to be with me or not? Make up your mind Roger!'

With that Ernie stood and walked away towards the Hufflepuff common room leaving the Ravenclaw quidditch captain standing alone in the hallway.

'Izzy Wizzy let's get busy!' Ernie called at the painting of Helga Hufflepuff as it then opened. Ernie's eyes stung with tears as he climbed inside. The common room was dark but it wasn't empty, Jason Devlin and his girlfriend Lana Love was making full use of the rug near the fire.

'Shut the portrait' Jason called in between kisses and thrusts as Lana giggled and laughed in pleasure.

Ernie couldn't stay, he also didn't want to go to his dorm and be quizzed by his roommates. He pulled the portrait shut as he stepped back out into the corridor.

'Can we talk?' Roger's voice said from the shadows in front of him. The Dementor mask was gone; the hood removed from his head, Roger was no longer hiding his features, as silent tears fell from both boys' cheeks. Ernie nodded and Roger held out his hand, taking it Roger led Ernie away from the kitchen corridor.

~*~

'Why does it feel like I've just been kicked in the head by a Hippogriff?' Susan said as she groaned at the pain that welcomed her as she woke.

'Probably because Dean Thomas spiked the punch last night' Hannah said smiling

'Wow, so he finally knows how to turn liquids into rum? Brilliant! Ouch' Susan said then squirmed as her head hurt again 'The git!'

'You still would have drunk it if you knew it had been spiked. In fact you would have drunk more if you'd known'

'But at least I would have known bloody Gryffindor's they always think they're so clever, their all jerks!'

'Not all of them' Hannah said, still smiling as she climbed out of bed and headed towards the bathroom

'Yes all of them!'

'If you say so'

'What?' Susan said slightly confused at her friends words, but then Susan suddenly remember who Hannah had been dancing with at the party 'All of them apart from Longbottom'

'He is nice'

'Nice?' Susan said as she grinned and moved to the bathroom door and poked her head round 'You fancy him don't you?'

'No I don't' Hannah said her back still towards Susan

'Yes you do! I know what a positive negative is, you fancy him!'

'What are you talking about, Positive negatives? Surly you drank far too much last night'

'I didn't drink nearly as much as I would have done if I had known it was alcohol, so stop changing the subject' Susan said as she grinned then headed back to her bed 'Longbottom is quite handsome in his own way' Susan's smile grew even more when there was no response to her words.

'He has a sort of adorable cuteness about him'

'You think so?' Hannah's voice called from the bathroom as she moved to the door

'Absolutely! He's kind, thoughtful and has a cute little dimple in the middle of his chin'

'I know!' Hannah said excitedly as she joined Susan on the bed 'It wrinkles up when he's thinking, or whenever he laughs!'

'For someone who claims they don't fancy Longbottom, you certainly have spent a lot of time observing Longbottom'

'I don't fancy him' Hannah said heatedly as she stormed off into the bathroom

'I'm glad you don't fancy him!' Susan called as she grinned mischievously 'it would have been awkward if you did'

'Awkward?' Hannah said as she once more emerged from the bathroom

'Well if you don't fancy him, then you'll have no objections of me dating him'

'_You_ date Neville Longbottom?' Hannah said in disbelief as she sank onto Susan's bed 'But why'

'Because I can' Susan said grinning as she got up from the bed and headed into the bathroom.

'Susan, please... you can't!' Hannah called as she hurried into the bathroom after her 'Please, you can have your pick of any boy in Hogwarts, what about Cormac McLaggen, he wouldn't take his eyes off you last night.'

'But I've taken a shine to Longbottom' Susan said as she cleaned off the previous nights makeup 'You said you didn't fancy him....didn't you?'

'Suzie... I do... I think I do fancy him' Hannah confessed as her hands flew to her mouth and her eyes widened at her words.

Hannah wasn't the only one that looked shocked, Susan stood near the washbasin, her eyes wide and a large smile planted on her face.

'Han, this is marvellous!' Susan said as she clasped Hannah in a mighty hug 'Neville is such a good person and he's a Longbottom to boot! Their an amazing family'

'You approve?' Hannah said wily

'More than approve, his is perfect for you, your natures are so similar. When will you ask him out?'

'Whoa!' Hannah said almost giggling at her friends words 'I don't even know if he likes me in that way'

'Likes you, he more than likes you, he's so into you' Susan said smiling as she then pulled Hannah hair back and off her face 'I'll fix your hair if you'd like? Make you look really pretty, you could even wear my sparkly vest top if you'd like?'

'I'd like that' Hannah said smiling as Susan led her friend back into the bathroom.

~*~

Zach yawned as slowly he began to wake and consciousness finally came back to him. Zach stretched out feeling relaxed and warm. However as his mind became more and more aware of his surroundings he couldn't help but feel that something was wrong. He felt constricted and then suddenly he felt something move beside him. He couldn't remember many details after he and Justin had returned back to the hall the previous night, but he could remember drinking loads of Dean Thomas' spiked punch. He could also remember that he had embarrassed Justin when he had tried to set him up with Lavender Brown, Ravenclaw's Lisa Turpin and even at one point Moaning Myrtle. He could also remember that he and Susan had shared a cheeky little New Years kiss that had annoyed Justin immensely.

'Susan?' Zach said softly. Grinning he turned in bed and the slim arm that was draped around his chest moved away. Pushing his body closer to the figure beside him, Zach lowered his head to kiss the top sandy hair head of hair before him.

'What the-?' A voice said in alarm as the sandy head moved, for a terrifying moment Zach's eye's met the eyes of Justin and as a scream issued from both boys the shock, panic and fear made both boys push the other and both fell to the floor on the opposite side of the bed.

'What the hell!' Justin yelled as he quickly stood up, Zach also scrambled to his feet. Neither boy wearing any item of clothing

'What the hell me?' Zach called incredulously 'what the hell you? This is _my_ bed!'

'You mean _my_ bed!' Justin roared as he pulled the bed sheet around him as Zach took in his words and looked more carefully at the position of the bed, and then stared at his own bed with his school chest standing at the foot of it.

'Why....?' Zach said but the words failed him

'I don't know' Justin answered the unfinished question 'But why we naked?'

'I don't know?' Zach said as he feared the words that he knew both of them would be thinking 'Did we....?'

'No!' Justin said vehemently 'Good god No! I like girls, I fancy girls, and I love Susan!'

'Me too' Zach said quickly 'It's Ernie that likes the bottom house of pleasures, not me'

'Then nothing happened?' Justin asked

'Nothing happened' Zach agreed 'We just drank too much spiked punched and got wasted that's all'

'Agreed' Justin said as he pulled the bed sheet tighter around his body 'The punch was spiked? Why didn't you tell me?'

'Because you needed to unwind, you would never ask Susan out if you was sober' Zach said as he walked over to his own bed kicked open his school chest and pulled a pair of boxes out an pulled them on.

'I did ask Susan out!' Justin said heatedly

'No you didn't. You just yelled some incoherent words at the girl. She didn't understand what you had meant' said Zach

'I didn't get a second chance to ask her because you interrupted us!' Justin yelled

'Don't blame me!' Zach shot back 'You had plenty of time to ask her after midnight. Especially when she kept harping on about no one should regret missed opportunities and that the New Year is a perfect time for adventures'

'Do you think she knows?' Justin asked as he sat down on his bed 'Do you think she actually did hear me? That she's waiting for me to ask her again....to properly ask her?'

'That's a little bit too subtle for our Suzie, don't you think?' Zach laughed 'Nah, if she had heard you, she would have been the one in your bed this morning instead of me'

'CAN WE PLEASE NOT MENTION THAT AGAIN!' Justin yelled as Zach laughed

'Mention what?' the voice of Ernie said as he entered the dormitory. He looked tired and a mess, his costume had been ripped in several places and his mask was missing, but despite of all this he wore a firm smile on his face.

'Where have you been?' Justin asked as though he was a worried parent that had waited up all night for his teenager to return home.

'I think the more pressing question would be who have you been with?' Zach said grinning as he grabbed hold of Ernie and pulled small green leaf out of his messed up hair 'You look like you've she dragged through a hedge. Come on, spill, what's his name?'

Ernie said nothing, but his smile grew as he thought about the past few hours that he had spent feeling safe and loved in Rogers' arms.

~*~

It was eleven O'clock by the time the sixth year Hufflepuffs entered the great hall. All of Hogwarts had slept in late after the party, but now most of the school had risen and was making its way towards the great hall for breakfast. As the hufflepuff's passed the Gryffindor table they could hear laughter spreading up and down the students as Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas looked enraged as they tried to grab at something that Ron Weasley was holding.

'They both screamed!' The Hufflepuffs heard Ron say as he showed the thing to Granger 'then they fell out of bed!'

'What did he say?' Zach asked Justin as both boys turned red as they hurried to their seats

'I don't want to think about it?' Justin said as he shivered at the memory of that morning

'Think about what?' Susan said as she eyed Zach and Justin with suspicion.

'Nothing' Zach and Justin said in unison they, Susan, Ernie and Hannah sat in their usual seats at their house table.

'Oi, Smith you got a min?' The voice of Roger Davies said as he seated himself beside Ernie at the Hufflepuff table, both boys shared a smile before Ernie turned his head away pretending that this intrusion of a bird at the badger table was nothing out of the usual. Zach however didn't welcome the interloper.

'Get back to your own table bird brain!' Zach spat across the table as Roger picked up a slice of toast and bit into it

'I came to ask if you were going to use the quidditch pitch to day or not'

'Why?'

'Why?' Roger laughed, 'Why, because if you didn't need it then I wanted to book it out for some training'

'You can have it, most of my team are too wasted to train' Zach conceded, but in truth Zach knew that it was really himself that felt ill, his head was hurting and he felt rough after drinking too much of the spiked punch.

'I know what you mean' Roger said in agreement 'Half of my team are feeling worst for wear this morning too. That's why I wanted to give them a good work out. Besides I love having a good workout' Ernie laughed at Roger's words and Roger smiled at him.

'What are they doing?' Hannah asked as all of the Gryffindor roared with laughter,

'Dean got his comeuppance' Roger said as he grabbed another slice of toast 'Ron and Harry woke this morning to find him in bed with Seamus Finnigan, they were both too wasted to stand let alone do anything, but Ron borrowed Colin Creevey's camera and took a photo of them. The way their acting you would have thought it was the most interesting thing that has ever happened. Well, I'd better go and book the pitch then. Oh, and by the way, Cho and I have also split up. I just thought you'd like to know' with that Roger stood up, patted Ernie on the shoulder then left.

'Did his parents give him a Fwooper instead of an owl?' Justin said shaking his head as he and Ernie watch Roger disappear amongst the Ravenclaws.

'Well I think he's just wonderful' Susan said smiling to herself 'And why do you think he came over here in the first place?'

'Because he's more nuts that Zach is about training for quidditch' Hannah said

'Noooo' Susan said the word stretching it out as she shook her head as though Hannah was silly for suggesting such a thing 'If he wanted to book the pitch he would have just done it. Zach never bothers to ask the other captains if they want it, and as far as I know Roger has never asked before'

'So?' Zach said as he finally helped himself to the plate of bacon and sausages in front of him 'What's your point?'

'I reckon his whole reason for coming over was to tell us that he's broken up with that Hoe Cho Chang'

'I'm sure it's not' Ernie lied as he quickly shot a glance at Roger's back as he sat at the Ravenclaw table amongst his team mates 'Besides, why would we care if he's dumped Cho'

'He's better off without her' Hannah said as she poured milk onto her Rice Krispies 'Neville told me that after the last DA meeting before we left for Christmas, she tried to snog Potter'

'Roger's too good for the likes of her anyway' Ernie said grinning as he remembered the precious hours that they had spent together that morning.


	17. Divide and Conquer

**A/N: Thank you to Saturn's Candlesticks, IcexPrincess and MyLookOfDenial for reviewing the last chapter. I hope you all like this chapter just as much. I feel that this story if finally comming to a close and that it should be finished around chapter 20. So thank you all for sticking with it after such a long time. it really does mean alot to me! thank you!!!**

**Chapter 17: Divide and Conquer**

It was the first week of February when the DA coins glowed next, and as usual the majority of Hufflepuff house found themselves crowding into the room of requirements. This time Harry wanted to show the students how to cast defensive spells, as usual everyone paired off.

Zach and Jason Devlin were working together; Justin partnered Hannah while Roger Davies had abandoned his Ravenclaw friends to ask Ernie to be his partner. Susan and Busty Lana Love clung together like Siamese twins as they giggled and chattered about the things that Lana and Jason and got up to after the New Year's party. Justin couldn't help but look on as Lana leaned in close to Susan and whisper.

'No!' Susan gasped as Lana nodded, smiled and patted her belly. Justin didn't know what had provoked such a startled and shocked expression from the woman he loved but he still continued to watch as Susan hugged Lana and then laughed.

'How does it feel?' Justin heard Susan asking as once more the girls fell into conversation and they lowered their voices so no one else could over hear.

'What can they find so interesting to talk about?' Justin asked Hannah, but Hannah merely shrugged, Hannah's attention was also elsewhere in the room. She was smiling to herself as she looked at Neville Longbottom who was partnering Ron Weasley. Neville had managed to deflect all of the curses and Jinxes that Ron had cast and Hannah couldn't help but swell with pride.

'I'm thinking of asking Lana to marry me' Jason blurted out as he cast a jinx that Zach warded off easily. Zach knew that Jason had been struggling with the decision for days now, Somehow Zach had managed to find himself in the uncomfortable position of agony uncle. Three days ago Jason had came to his captain in tears, scared and fearful of what was happening and very unsure of what to do next. Zach however had frightened himself with the wisdom and knowledge that he had drawn upon and had quickly sealed his position as confidant to the confused Chaser.

'Well given the circumstances it does seem the right thing to do' Zach advised 'but is it something that you both want?'

'What do you mean?' Jason asked as he lowered his wand. Zach could see that his words had confused the Chaser even more then he was before.

'If this situation hadn't occurred how would you have seen your future in five years time' Zach explained 'realistically what would you be doing and more importantly want do you think Lana would be doing?'

'I don't know' Jason said as he seated himself on a nearby pouf.

'Have a good think about it, mate' Zach said as he patted his shoulder

'For crying out loud it's not that difficult!' the enraged voice of Harry echoed through the room as the Gryffindor yelled at Patience Reinhold and Mary Creevey 'But I shouldn't have expected too much from a Hufflepuff!' Some of the nearby Gryffindor's and Ravenclaw's laughed at Harry's words but all the Hufflepuff's in the room stopped and glared at Potter. None of them could believe that Potter had just insulted them all!

'What the hell!' Zach raged as he left Jason's side and pushed his way through the knoll of students to stand beside the cubs 'what the hell is your problem Potter!' Zach said as he pushed Harry hard in the chest and Harry staggered backwards

'My problem?' Potter raged, as he rubbed his chest were Zach's hands had made contact 'What the hell is your problem?'

'My problem is if you want to have a go at someone, Potter, than have a go with me!'

'What?' Harry asked taken aback

'Translation' Justin called as he, Ernie and Susan joined Zach's side as Hannah hurried to the now tearful first years as Mary's brothers stared at the scene in complete shock 'You pick on one badger you pick on us all. You insult one badger your insult us all' At Justin's words there was a surge of assent from the other Hufflepuff's in the room as they joined the sixth formers. The Ravenclaws and many of the Gryffindors quickly backed to the sides of the room.

'Harry didn't mean anything by what he said' Hermione hurried to explain as she pushed her way to Harry's side 'It was just that the girls were throwing spells out with no understanding of what they were doing. Someone could have got hurt'

'Really, and that I suppose gives him the right to shout at them, to humiliate them and bully them. Does it?' Zach said as he twiddled his wand idley in his hand as he stood in front of all the Hufflepuff's 'would you be willing to say that to all our faces instead of to cubs?'

'I always knew you were a trouble maker, Smith!" Ron spat as he hurried to Harry's side 'ever since that day in the Hog head I knew you was trouble'

'Don't be prat all your life Weasley' Zach spat 'He was picking on first years'

'I…do what?' Harry stammered

'Does it give you some sort of a thrill, knowing that you can intimidate our cubs?" Justin asked as he stood by Zach's side

'You're what?' Ron scoffed as he Dean, Seamus, Ginny and many other Gryffindors hurried to Harry's side,

'We call ourselves Badgers Weasley, Badgers, you know like what is on our shield and we call our first years cubs!' Justin explained helpfully, although his tone told everyone in the room that he wasn't being friendly. Ron laughed as did Seamus, Dean and many other Gryffindors and Ravenclaws.

"Blast them Justin!" someone called from group of Hufflepuffs

"Oh please Harry's way more powerful than him! He'll blast you into next Thursday!" Seamus said gleefully his smile wide

"Really, you mean because he's faced Voldemort!" Zach called over the din of the laughing Lions and Eagles, everyone in the room gasped and recoiled slightly from him, all except Susan, Justin, Hannah and Ernie. Zach unlike most people at Hogwarts had never been afraid to say you-know-who's real name, in fact he had taken great pleasure in his first year to see the other Hufflepuffs shudder as he used the word until Cedric had told him off and explained why the name was so feared.

"We'll see shall we?" Zach said deathly as he raised his wand slightly

"Don't be stupid I don't what to fight you!" Harry protested "If I insulted you all then it was an accident I didn't mean to, and I'm sorry that I was a little hard on your cubs, I'm just a little stressed. I'm sorry that I took it out on them"

"Yeah right!" called some of the younger Hufflepuffs 'blast them!'

'Don't be so hasty!' Hermione called 'Don't you remember why we are all here? Harry wants us all prepared. Cedric was only the first of us to die, there will be more and we need to be ready'

'That's the point though isn't it' Justin said as Hermione finally hit the nerve that was really the root of the whole situation 'we never really was told why or how Cedric died. We had to read about it from the bloody Quibbler!'

'Harry asked you to believe the explanation that Dumbledore had given at the end of fourth year!' Dean Thomas snarled 'Last year you said you believed it, why the change?'

'Because Dumbledore's explanation was a load of crap!' Zach raged, the intensity of his anger scared him, he had never guessed that the cut was so deep and that it hurt as much as it did. "Dumbledore just asked us all to leave Harry alone, telling us Harry had to come to terms with what he had seen and heard, but what about us?'

"What about you?" Ron scoffed

"Don't you dare' Hannah yelled startling everyone in the room "He was our house mate! What explanation did we get for his death, none!"

'You didn't have a right to know!' Cho Chang called from the midst of her Ravenclaw friends her eyes growing moist.

'We had more right to know then you, you stupid Ravenclaw whore!' Susan yelled

"How dear you Cedric was my boyfriend you have no right-"

'No right! Cedric was our house mate we'd known him for four years before he was murdered! You didn't even want to date him until you found out he was a school champion.

Ced was the first person who shook our hands and welcomed us to Hufflepuff, he was our friend, he was our mentor! We loved him like a brother, so how dare you say that we had no right!!

'Cedric was a badger as is Zach no matter how idiotic he acts and you know what?' Justin didn't even wait for a reply 'We've had it, we've had enough of everyone bossing us around and making snide comments about our house, just and caring, loyal and true does not translate into push over!"

'Hex them!' a voice called again

'We're not going to blast, hex, curse or transfigure any of them' Justin conceded as he lowered his wand 'there isn't any point. But this is over, there's no point any more. We quit, Hufflepuff's out'

'You can't speak for your whole house' Ron said incredulously

'We quit' Justin repeated as he pulled his DA coin out of his pocket and threw it on the floor 'you can count Hufflepuff out of the DA'

'But you can't' Hermione called looking extremely upset at the prospect as Ron looked infuriated at her outburst 'what about the sorting hats song it said all the houses should unite it's the second time it's said it!? We all have to stick together or Hogwarts will be destroyed!

'Oh shut up you delusional cow!' Susan said getting really angry 'because unless you live in some sort of alternative existence from everyone else I'll remind you that this school has four houses, so a quarter of the school is missing from this hash of a party anyway'

'The Slytherins wouldn't be an asset' Ron Sneered

'And you are? You three moronic trolls never even try to get along with them!' Zach said as all his pent up anger finally spilled 'Not all the Slytherins are interbred, psycho worshiping murderers. But even the decent ones would never join with a Gryffindor as the figure head. Yes Granger I said figure head because we all know that our fearless leader hasn't had an original idea in his life, you're the one that's steering this party'

"Why are you being like this?" said a still teary Cho Chang "Harry is trying to help us, he wasn't the only person that has poked fun at your house. Besides, like he said, he's been through a lot, I can understand that, I lost Cedric!'

'You didn't lose Cedric!' The voice of Roger Davies called out in disgust as he stood with the rest of his quidditch team 'He dumped you the day before the final task. He found out that you and a Drumstrang student was having it away behind his back'

'Stop this!' Harry called as he tried to regain control of the situation 'We can't fight amongst ourselves. Don't you people realise that this is a war? Voldemort is gaining power each day and the longer he's unchallenged the more people die and more lives are ripped apart. Don't any of you understand that?

'Don't you dare' Susan growled as she glared at Potter 'I understand Voldemort more than you think. You weren't the only first year who came to Hogwarts never knowing their parents. You're not the only person that had their life torn apart by death eaters, my father and his brother both refused to join Voldemort! They fought against him and death eaters killed them and then murdered my aunt my three cousins! VOLDEMORT DESTROYED MY FAMILY!!'

'I....I never knew' Harry said feebly as the entire room was stunned into silence at Susan's words

'You didn't know because you didn't care' Justin said as his heart broke at the sight of Susan's obvious pain 'you're so wrapped up in your own world that your too busy to stop and find out who else's world is shattered and broken'

'We weren't the only ones that lost family the last time Voldemort came to power even some of the Slytherins lost family because they refused to join, so remember that before you start condemning them all!' Susan said as tears stung her eyes, pushed her way through the crowd of Hufflepuffs and raced out of the room.

'We're done' Zach said. With this he turned, pushed his way through the knoll of Hufflepuffs that had congregated behind him and left, Justin, Hannah, Ernie and the rest of Hufflepuff house followed.

~*~

'Susan wait!!' Zach called as he and the other sixth form Badgers chased after the blonde. Susan finally skidded to a halt at the top of the Marble staircase, as she stood waiting for her friends.

'What do you think you're doing eh?' Zach said a small smile on his face as he pulled Susan into a hug 'You know you can't run away from us' wrapped in Zach's arms Susan finally gave into the tears that had been promising to fall. The tears flowed freely as she sank deep into Zach's hold and her heart broke.

'You never did tell them everything' Ernie said as he, Justin and Hannah approached and they shooed the rest of the house down the stairs so the five friends could be alone.

'Do you think now could be the time?' Justin asked as he placed his hand onto Susan's shoulder 'But only if you want to tell us'

'I want to' Susan nodded as Zach released his hold and all the friends sat together on the steps. They had always known that Susan's father had died; they had also known that Susan's dad had died because of Death eaters, but they had never known about the rest of her family.

'They stole them from me' Susan cried as she shook her head, 'I had a family! I had a family that loved me and thought the world of me and Voldemort took them away! I don't even know if I remember them or if what I think I remember are imaginings from stories my mother told me as I grew up' Susan paused as she breathed deeply, looked towards her friends continued.

'My father and his brother were both high ranking Aurors at the ministry, my aunt told me that Death Eaters had tried to recruit them but instead of finding loyal comrades my father arrested them and threw them into Azkaban. Voldemort must have been outraged because he sent the rest of his forces to punish them. They came in the night while my family slept; my cousins didn't stand a chance, the eldest was only eight years old!

My Aunt was the first person to arrive at the house after the death eaters had gone. To this day she has never talked about what she saw.... apart from how she found me, as a baby, wrapped tightly in a blanket and hidden in a cupboard with a silencing charm placed on me'

"Your father always did think of everything" She said' Susan told them with a wry smile 'My Aunt took care of me after that night. My mother had always been delicate, my aunt said; but she couldn't cope with what had happened, or with what she had seen. She's alright now, she has her moments, but she's not been back to St Mungo's for years now'

'Susan I'm so sorry!' Hannah said as she hugged her friend

'You should have told us, you didn't have to carry this on your own' Zach said as patted Susan's shoulder.

'We don't talk about it; because we don't need to' Susan said hastily 'I love you guys because you're my escape and you allow me to escape. Everything at home reminds me of my family, photos, objects, places. We still live in the same house, my father's picture is on every wall, and his wand rests on my mother's bedside table. You guys are untainted by Death Eaters and their destruction you allow me to be me and not a living breathing shrine to those that have gone.'

'I love you for being you' Justin said softly. He wanted to hold her tightly, to kiss away her tears and to tell her that he loved more than the others ever could, that the love he had for her was different, was stronger. That she made his soul ache with every tear that she shed and that his heart broke because he knew that her heart was breaking to. Justin however didn't voice any of these feelings, instead Susan's tears fell onto Zach's shoulders, and her slender delicate form was wrapped by Zach's strong arms as he held her tightly in his embrace.

'Students out after hours' The eerie voice of the caretaker screeched gleefully through the air as, huffing and puffing, Argus Filch hurried towards them 'We'll see what your head of house has to say about this!'

'Feck off you old perv!' Zach snapped at the old man, whose eyes flared dangerously before a look of absolute pleasure flashed across his face.

'Never in all my years, a-a whipping is too good for you. Why if Headmistress Umbridge was still in charge, you'd all be stung up in my dungeon' Filch croaked gleefully as he struggled get his words out and control his excitement 'T-The headmaster w-will hear of this!'

'No he will not, Confund!' Justin said smugly as he pointed his wand at the caretaker and called the incantation for a confusion spell. The caretaker's features relaxed and his hands fell to his side as vacant look crossed his features.

'W-what' Filch muttered

'There are students out of bed' Justin said as he stood and turned the old man to face the way he had come 'Quick they are on the seventh floor near the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy'

'That was brilliant!' Susan squealed as she hugged Justin tightly and Hannah and Ernie agreed.

'Let's hope he catches Potter and his gang as they leave their stupid DA meeting' Zach said grinning at the idea of a confounded Filch catching Potter and Weasley and wondering if he would follow through on any of his threats this time.

'I hope he doesn't catch them, not all of Potter's gang are bad' Hannah said in a low voice as the friends decided they should head back to their common room. Ernie however couldn't help but smile to himself. He knew from experience that a certain Ravenclaw Quidditch captain was in fact very bad and Ernie had dreamt on more than one occasion of seeing Roger shackled to dungeon wall.


End file.
